JOHN  W.  WERN1NGER. 

Censor  Detutatus. 


3mnrimatnr: 

tPATRICK  J.   DONAHUE, 

Bishop  of  Wheeling. 


COPYRIGHT  BY 

HENRY  B.  ALTMEYEK 

1811 


Alt 

^    .SERMONS 

DELIVERED    BEFORE 

MIXED     CONGREGATIONS 

>* 

EM  BRACI  NG 

:-:      APOLOGETICS      :-: 

CATHOLIC  FAITH  and 
CHRISTIAN  MORALS 


INTENDED    FOR 


IN  FID  ELS.     PROTESTANTS 
AND    CATHOLICS 


STANDARD  PRINTING  &  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

HUNTINGTON,  WEST  VIRGINIA 


ALTMEYEK 

1911 


INDEX 


PAGE 

God  and  the  Soul  5 

The  First  Miracle  of  Christ  , 14 

Possibility  and  Necessity  of  Revelation  20 

The  Cockle  and  The  Wheat  - 30 

The  Christian  Religion  Satisfies  the  Demands  of 

Reason  and  the  Aspirations  of  the  Soul 35 

Catholic  Faith 43 

Divinity  and  Humanity  of  Christ 48 

The  Holy  Rosary  58 

Resurrection  of  Christ  64 

The  End  of  the  World  72 

The  Primitive  Religion  80 

The  Mosaic  Religion  84 

The  Christian  Religion  91 

Catholic  Church  and  the  Bible 97 

Did  Christ  Establish  a  Church? 107 

Catholic  Education  ..  112 

The  Unity  of  the  Church 118 

Holiness  of  the  Church  ...                                          124 

Catholicity  of  the  Church 130 

Apostolicity  of  the  Church  13(> 

Haptism   143 

Our  Last  End  150 

Death    .  155 

Sacrament  of  Penance  ..  100 


INDEX— CONTINUED 


PAGE 

Judgment - 168 

Hell  ..                                                                            173 

Heaven  - - 170 

Jesus  in  the  Garden  of  Olives 185 

Christ  Before  Pilate  and  Herod 190 

The  Immaculate  Conception  195 

Christ  Before  Annas  and  Caiphas 202 

Condemnation  of  Christ '. 207 

The  Crucifixion  - - - _ 212 

St.  Louis I -T - -...--  217 

The  First  Commandment  -  22(5 

The  Second  Commandment  : 220 

The  Third  Commandment - - - 232 

The  Infallibility  of  the  Pope 235 

The  Fourth  Commandment  _.: 245 

The  Fifth  Commandment - 249 

The  Sixth  and  The  Ninth  Commandments 253 

The  Mission  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus 256 

The  Seventh  and  The  Tenth  Commandments  ... 261 

The  Blessed  Eucharist  265 

The  Eighth  Commandment  273 

The  Church  and  the  State  ..  277 

St.   Patrick  281 

The  Religious  Life  ...  296 

The  Mass   .  303 

What  the  Church  Stands  For  ...  312 

Purgatory    310 

Indefectibilitv  of  the  Church  ..  328 


PREFACE 


My  Dear  Reader: — This  volume  of  sermons  I  have 
affectionately  dedicated  to  the  members  of  St.  Joseph's 
Congregation,  who  have  shown  so  much  kindness  to  me 
and  co-operated  so  willingly  with  all  the  labors  undertaken 
in  their  behalf.  I  send  it  forth  under  the  patronage  of  St. 
Joseph,  the  foster  father  and  guardian  of  the  Child  Jesus, 
and  the  patron  of  this  parish  and  diocese,  with  the  hope 
that  it  will  help  to  advance  the  kingdom  of  God  in  this 
world.  I  believe  these  sermons  have  been  the  weak  and 
humble  instruments  in  the  hands  of  God  of  doing  a  little 
good.  The  old  truths  I  have  tried  to  put  in  a  way  perhaps 
somewhat  new,  but  always  aiming  at  clearness,  concise- 
ness and  conclusiveness.  If  there  be  anything  contrary  to 
the  teaching  of  the  Church  or  even  opposed  to  her  spirit 
in  these  sermons,  that,  I  am  the  first  to  condemn  and 
reject.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  I  have  the  full  permission, 
and  I  shall  add  fatherly  encouragement  of  my  bishop  to 
publish  them.  Any  money  realized  from  the  sale  of  them 
will  go  towards  liquidating  the  debt  incurred  in  remodelling 
the  old  Church  and  building  a  new  school  in  this  truly 
missionary  part  of  the  diocese. 

Feast  of  our  Lady  of  Lourdes, 

HENRY  B.  ALTMEYER, 

Pastor  St.  Josephs'  Church, 

Huntington,  W.  Va. 
February  11,  1011. 


SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL. 

PREACHED  BEFORE  THE  HOLY  NAME  SOCIETY,  ST.  JOSEPH'S 
CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

Dear  Members  of  the  Holy  Name  Society: — Before  be- 
ginning our  discourses  on  Religion,  I  wish,  as  an  introduc- 
tion, to  speak  on  God  and  the  Soul.  I  know,  as  the  Scrip- 
ture teaches,  that  it  is  only  the  fool  who  says  there  is  no 
God,  and  that  he  does  not  really  believe  it,  but  only  wishes 
it  to  be  so.  But  I  am  also  aware  that  there  are  some  who 
maintain  seriously  that  theists  cannot  prove  to  a  certainty 
these  truths.  As  an  answer  and  a  fitting  prelude,  we  shall 
therefore,  this  evening,  try  to  demonstrate  the  existence 
of  God  and  the  Spirituality  and  Immortality  of  the  soul. 

Now  as  to  the  existence  of  God,  I  am  simply  going  to 
throw  into  English  and  develop  a  little,  the  five  arguments 
of  St.  Thomas  as  they  are  found  in  his  "Suinma  Theolog- 
ica"  I  believe  they  are  the  basis  of  all  the  conclusive 
arguments  which  may  be  advanced  in  support  of  the  exist- 
ence 6f  God. 

The  first  argument  of  St.  Thomas  is  taken  from  motion, 
and  he  says  it  is  the  more  obvious  way.  As  I  interpret  it, 
it  may  be  stated  thus:  It  is  evident  that  there  is  motion 
in  the  world;  that  i?,  bodies  cliange  their  local  position  or 
pass  from  one  place  to  another.  This  is  a  fact  of  daily 
observation.  Now  motion  implies  a  mover.  This  mover 
must  be  either  the  body  itself  or  an  outside  body.  But  it 
cannot  be  itself,  for  then  it  would  be  mover  and  moved, 
or  stationary  and  moving,  or  potential  and  actual,  or  per- 
fect and  less  perfect  at  the  same  time  and  under  the  same 
aspect,  which  is  a  contradiction.  Therefore  it  was  moved 
by  another.  Now  this  immediate  mover  is  moved  by  an- 
other, and  this  other  by  another,  and  so  on  for  the  reason 
given.  But  in  this  series  of  movers  we  must  reach  a  firs4 
mover  who  is  moved  by  no  other,  for  we  cannot  proceed 
into  infinitv  with  these  secondary  movers.  There  must 


6          SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL 

be  a  first  mover  back  of  all  this  motion,  otherwise  there 
would  be  no  second,  third  nor  fourth,  nor  last  immediate 
mover.  They  are  second  and  third  and  fourth  and  last, 
only  insomuch  as  there  was  a  first.  Do  awaty  with  the  first 
and  there  can  be  no  middle  and  last.  Therefore  from  the 
existence  of  motion  we  reason  to  a  first  mover  who  is  all 
motion,  or  all  life,  or  is  the  most  pure  act  in  whom  there  is 
no  potentiality.  And  this  being  we  designate  as  God. 

The  second  argument  is  taken  from  cause  and  effect. 
We  find  an  order  of  efficient  causes  in  sensible  things.  That 
is,  we  see  that  by  certain  things  being  done,  certain  results 
will  surely  follow.  I  pull  the  trigger  of  a  loaded  rifle  and 
immediately  there  will  go  forth  from  the  barrel  with  the 
greatest  velocity  a  bullet.  I  apply  a  lighted  match  to 
powder  and  immediately  there  will  ensue  an  explosion.  I 
apply  a  lighted  torch  to  straw  and  there  will  follow  flame 
and  smoke.  Now  these  effects  cannot  be  the  cause  of  them- 
selves; otherwise  they  would  exist  before  they  existed, 
which  is  a  contradiction.  It  would  be  the  same  as  saying 
that  the  going .  forth  of  the  same  bullet  caused  the  going 
forth  of  the  same  bullet;  that  the  same  explosion  caused 
the  same  explosion;  that  the  same  flame  and  smoke  caused 
the  same  flame  and  smoke.  They  did  not  exist  until  after 
the  causes  were  placed.  Now  these  immediate  causes  are 
again  the  effects  of  other  causes,  and  the  causes  of  them 
are  effects  of  other  causes,  and  so  on,  until  we  reach  a  first 
cause  which  is  uncaused.  We  cannot  proceed  into  infinity 
with  these  causes  and  effects,  and  effects  and  causes,  for 
the  reason  that  in  this  series  of  effects  and  causes  there 
must  be  a  first  cause  which  is  the  cause  of  the  middle,  and 
the  middle  the  cause  of  the  last.  If  there  be  no  first  cause, 
there  will  be  no  middle,  and  if  there  be  no  middle  cause, 
there  will  be  no  last,  or  no  effect  at  all,  which  is  false. 
Therefore  from  effects  which  we  see  in  the  physical  world, 
we  reason  to  a  first  cause  who  is  uncaused,  the  cause  of 
all  causes,  the  eternal  cause  whom  we  call  God. 

The  third  argument  is  taken  from  the  nature  of  con- 
tingent being.  A  contingent  being  is  one  that  may  or  may 
not  exist.  It  is  a  being  whose  essence  does  not  demand 
existence.  It  is  a  being  which  we  can  conceive  as  not 


SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL          7 

existing.  Now,  the  world  considered  as  a  whole,  or  in 
the  various  parts  that  go  to  make  it  up,  is  contingent.  We 
can  conceive  it  as  not  existing;  we  can  conceive  its  con- 
stituent parts  as  not  existing.  Again  new  beings  are  com- 
ing into  existence  every  day  and  old  beings  are  losing  their 
existence.  In  the  mineral,  in  the  vegetable,  and  in  the 
animal  world  we  see  such  to  be  facts.  We  are  con- 
scious that  we  ourselves  did  not  always  exist.  Contingent 
beings,  then,  by  their  nature  owe  their  existence  fo  other 
beings,  since  they  were  indifferent  to  existence  and  non- 
existence,  and  could  not  determine  for  themselves;  or  "de 
facto",  not  always  existing  they  depend  for  their  existence 
on  other  beings.  Now  these  other  beings  are  again  con- 
tingent. But  in  this  line  or  series  of  contingent  beings 
we  must  come  to  a  necessary  being  who  exists  of  necessity, 
whose  essence  and  existence  are  one  and  the  same,  whom 
we  cannot  conceive  as  not  existing,  upon  whom  all  contin- 
gent beings  depend  or  to  whom  they  owe  their  existence. 
Therefore,  since  there  is  a  contingent  being  there  must  be 
a  necessary  being.  No  number  of  contingent  beings  can 
change  their  nature.  An  infinite  number  is  an  absurdity. 
This  necessary  being  we  call  God. 

The  fourth  argument  is  taken  from  the  grades  of  per- 
fection found  in  things.  No  one  will  deny  that  some  beings 
are  more  perfect  than  others.  Thus  the  vegetable  is  more 
perfect  than  the  mineral,  the  animal  more  perfect  than  the 
vegetable,  and  man  more  perfect  than  the  animal.  Among 
mefi  we  find  various  grades  of  perfection.  Some  men  are 
more  noble,  more  beautiful,  more  truthful,  more  just,  more 
merciful,  more  benevolent,  more  wise,  more  powerful  than 
others. 

Now  beings  are  called  more  or  less  perfect,  and  are 
more  or  less  perfect  only  in  so  much  as  they  approach 
nearer  or  recede  farther  from  a  being  who  is  perfect.  We 
can  have  no  idea  of  grades  of  perfection,  nor  can  they 
exist  unless  there  is  a  most  perfect  being  with  whom  they 
are  compared  and  of  whom  they  are  diminutions.  There- 
fore there  is  a  being  who  is  perfect,  who  possesses  truth, 
beauty,  wisdom,  justice,  goodness  and  power  in  the  most 


8  SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL 

perfect  degree.  Or  in  other  words  there  is  a  being  in  whom 
these  perfections  are  not  limited, — who  is  infinite. 

The  fifth  and  last  argument  of  St.  Thomas  is  taken 
from  the  government  of  material  things.  It  is  evident 
that  material  things  want  knowledge,  else  there  would  be 
variety  in  their  operations,  or  in  the  manner  in  which  they 
reach  their  ends.  Wanting  knowledge,  they  must  be  direct- 
ed by  a  being  who  possesses  knowledge  just  as  an  arrow 
must  be  directed  by  an  archer.  Now  in  the  general  purpose 
and  end  of  material  things,  we  see  the  greatest  wisdom 
and  power  displayed.  Therefore  the  being  who  directs  them 
must  be  most  wise  and  powerful,  or  his  wisdom  and  power 
must  be  most  perfect.  And  this  most  wise  and  powerful 
being  we  call  God. 

We  now  pass  to  the  consideration  of  the  second  part 
of  our  subject,  namely,  the  Spirituality  and  Immortality 
of  the  soul.  The  arguments  we  shall  advance  for  the  spir- 
ituality of  the  soul  will  be  conclusive,  but  not  so  with  the 
arguments  for  immortality ;  we  can  give  strong  reasons  why 
it  should  be  so,  and  we  can  prove  to  a  certainty  that  there 
Is  a  future  life,  but  revelation  is  needed  to  prove  beyond 
any  doubt  or  cavil  that  the  future  life  is  eternal,  or  that 
the  soul  is  immortal  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word. 

Before  showing  that  the  soul  is  spiritual  we  must  first 
demonstrate  that  the  soul  is  a  substance.  Now  a  substance 
\»  something  which  exists  by  itself  and  in  itself,  while  an 
accident  is  something  which  must  adhere  to  some  subject 
for  existence.  Thus,  for  example,  a  wall  is  a  substance, 
while  the  whiteness  or  hardness  of  it  is  an  accident.  We 
cannot  conceive  whiteness  or  hardness  existing  alone  with- 
out a  subject.  From  introspection  we  must  conclude  that 
our  soul  is  a  substance.  We  think,  love  and  desire.  Now 
we  cannot  conceive  these  operations  without  the  soul.  They 
do  not  exist  in  themselves;  they  proceed  from  a  principle, 
and  they  come  and  go.  But  their  source  remains  the  same, 
and  w<»  think  and  speak  of  it  as  existing  in  itself  and  being 
the  cause  of  these  mental  states.  Therefore,  the  human 
floul  is  a  substantial  principle. 

Spirituality  includes  simplicity,  but  not  vice  versa. 
The  soul  of  a  brute  i«  said  to  be  simple,  but  not  spiritual. 


SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL          9 

The  spirituality  of  the  soul  demands  that  it  not  only  wants 
parts  or  is  indivisible,  but  also  that  in  its  own  specific 
actions  it  is  independent  of  matter.  To  be  conclusive,  we 
have  two  theses  to  substantiate;  first,  that  the  soul  is 
simple,  and  secondly,  that  the  soul  is  spiritual.  And  now 
to  the  first. 

The  human  soul  is  a  simple  substance.  That  the  soul 
of  man  is  not  extended  nor  composed  of  material  parts, 
we  conclude  from  the  fact  that  it  has  ideas  which  are 
simple  in  their  nature.  Thus  for  example,  we  have  ideas 
of  justice,  truth  and  virtue,  which  cannot  be  divided  into 
parts.  Now  such  ideas  cannot  proceed  from  a  material 
principle.  And  we  prove  it  in  this  way:  If  the  idea  of 
justice  emanated  from  the  brain,  then  it  would  be  diffused 
over  the  whole  brain,  or  it  would  be  whole  in  each  part 
or  atom  of  the  brain,  or  it  would  be  confined  to  one  part 
of  the  brain.  The  first  supposition  is  opposed  to  the  nature 
of  the  idea  for  being  simple,  it  cannot  be  divided  or  diffused 
over  the  whole  brain.  The  second  supposition  contradicts 
our  experience;  for  then  we  would  have  as  many  ideas  of 
justice  at  the  same  time  as  there  are  atoms  in  the  brain. 
On  the  third  supposition,  this  one  part  of  the  brain  from 
which  the  idea  emanates  is  either  divisible,  and  then  we  are 
thrown  back  on  the  first  or  second  supposition,  or  it  is 
simple,  incapable  of  division,  and  our  thesis  is  proved. 
Therefore,  the  source  of  simple  ideas,  or  the  human  soul, 
is  an  indivisible  substance  or  a  simple  principle. 

We  shall  now  consider  the  main  thesis  to  which  the 
first  two  lead  up.  The  human  soul  is  spiritual.  By  the 
spirituality  of  the  soul,  the  common  folk  understand  it  to 
be  a  substance,  which,  by  the  nobility  and  greatness  of  its 
nature  transcends  every  power  or  aptitude  of  matter.  The 
scholastics  have  taken  up  this  vulgar  notion  and  put  it 
into  the  following  philosophical  form :  A  spiritual  sub- 
stance is  something  which  subsists  of  itself,  and  by  itself, 
and  independent  of  matter  performs  its  own  specific  actions. 

From  the  fact  that  the  soul  has  actions  which  transcend 
all  the  powers  of  matter;  that  it  understands  immaterial 
things;  that  it  understands  sensible  things  in  a  universal 
and  immutable  way,  and  that  it  is  borne  more  towards 


10  SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL 

spiritual  than  corporal  objects,  we  conclude  that  it  is  a 
spiritual  substance. 

No  one  will  deny  that  we  can  by  self  reflection  study 
the  thinking  principle — can  enter  into  our  very  souls.  In 
this  process  we  are  conscious  that  the  principle,  or  I 
which  is  thinking,  is  the  same  identical  I  which  is  the 
object  of  thought.  Or,  again  we  are  conscious  that  we 
can  will,  or  not  will  to  do  certain  things.  Now,  by  these 
acts  the  soul  covers  itself  and  acts  upon  itself,  which  opera- 
tions are  entirely  opposed  to  the  nature  of  matter.  Let  us 
illustrate  by  taking  a  blank  chart.  We  may  place  one  part 
of  the  chart  over  another  part,  but  we  cannot  place  the 
whole  chart  over  itself.  One  atom  or  molecule  of  matter 
may  act  upon  another,  but  never  on  itself.  It  cannot  be 
the  agent  and  the  patient.  But  in  self  reflection  and  will- 
ing, we  have  the  soul  covering  its  whole  self  and  acting  upon 
itself.  Therefore,  since  the  soul  has  actions  which  are  op- 
posed to  the  nature  of  matter  and  transcend  its  powers,  it 
is  spiritual. 

We,  and  the  materialists  also,  speak  about  spiritual 
things;  we  have  at  least  a  concept  of  them,  for  no  one  can 
speak  of  things  entirely  unknown.  Now,  a  principle  which 
thus  manifests  itself  cannot  but  be  essentially  spiritual. 
The  nature  of  the  action  bespeaks  the  nature  of  the  cause, 
and  a  being  cannot  give  what  it  has  not,  otherwise  we 
would  have  an  effect  without  a  cause.  Therefore,  since  the 
soul  understands  spiritual  objects,  it  must  be  spiritual. 

The  human  soul  by  the  power  of  abstraction,  under- 
stands pensible  things  in  a  super-sensible  way.  Material 
things  as  they  exist  in  themselves  are  sensible,  many,  and 
changeable.  But  .the  soul  gets  from  them,  simple,  abstract, 
universal  ideas.  Thus,  for  example,  I  see  a  chain.  It  is 
simple,  material  and  changeable.  It  is  impressed  upon  my 
imagination  as  such.  But  the  intellect  takes  out  of  that 
material  chain  a  universal  idea — the  idea  of  a  chain  in 
general.  This  idea  remains  the  same  and  corresponds  to 
all  material  chains.  Now  this  is  understanding  things  in 
an  immaterial  or  spiritual  manner.  Therefore,  the  power, 
or  the  soul  which  is  able  to  do  this,  is  truly  spiritual. 

In  speaking  of  the  soul  being  borne  more  toward  spir- 


SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL  11 

itual  than  corporal  objects,  we  refer  to  the  souls  of  those 
men  who  know  and  feel  their  dignity,  in  whom  the  life 
of  the  animal  does  not  predominate  and  prevail.  Now, 
.every  power  is  ordained  to  its  own  object  by  which  it  is 
perfected.  Thus  sight  is  ordained  to  light,  hearing  to 
sound,  etc.,  and  these  faculties  being  exercised  upon  their 
objects  are  perfected.  Therefore,  there  must  be  a  propor- 
tion and  a  similarity  of  nature  between  faculties  and  their 
objects.  If  the  objects  are  material,  the  faculties  must  be 
material,  otherwise  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to 
reach  these  objects  and  be  perfected  by  them.  Secondly,  a 
spiritual  desire  in  a  subject  not  spiritual,  is  inconceivable, 
for  we  would  have  an  effect  without  a  proportionate  cause. 
And  thirdly,  a  natural  desire  does  not  spring  except  from 
the  knowledge  that  the  object  sought  will  perfect  the  thing 
seeking.  But  no  object  can  perfect  a  subject  with  which  it 
has  not  fitness  nor  aptitude  of  nature.  An  animal  is  not 
perfected  by  virtue  and  knowledge,  and  man  is  not  per- 
fected by  sensual  objects.  Therefore,  from  spiritual  desires 
which  bear  the  soul  on  vehemently  towards  spiritual  ob- 
jects, we  conclude  that  the  soul  is  essentially  spiritual. 

We  have  now  reached  the  third  part  of  our  subject — 
the  Immortality  of  the  Soul;  and  I  wish  you  to  bear  in 
mind,  that  I  said,  that  we  cannot  prove  it  apodeictically 
from  pure  reason;  God's  word  is  necessary  to  give  us  abso- 
lute certainty. 

That, — that  principle  in  me  which  thinks,  knows,  wills, 
desires,  which  makes  a  man  of  me  and  distinguishes  me 
from  the  rest  of  God's  creatures,  will  live  on  in  the  next 
world  and  will  not  come  to  naught,  we  conclude  from  the 
following  reasons :  I.  The  human  soul  is  an  incorruptible 
substance.  II.  The*  human  soul  cannot  be  annihilated, 
either  by  itself  or  any  created  being.  III.  A  sufficient  sanc- 
tion of  the  moral  law  demands  a  future  life.  IV.  The  de- 
sire of  perfect  happiness  argues  a  future  life.  We  shall 
take  up  each  proposition  separately  and  briefly,  and  show 
its  proving  force. 

The  human  soul  is  an  incorruptible  substance.  Material 
substances,  because  they  are  made  up  of  united  parts  come 
to  nothing  by  the  dissolution  of  these  parts.  But  we  have 


12         SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL 

shown  that  the  human  soul  is  a  simple,  unex  tended  sub- 
stance. It  will  not,  therefore,  by  disintegration  cease  to  be, 
and  since  it  is  independent  of  the  body  for  its  specific 
actions,  it  will  not  be  destroyed  in  the  destruction  of  the 
body,  as  in  the  case  of  the  soul  of  brutes. 

The  human  soul  cannot  be  annihilated  by  itself,  or  by 
any  created  thing.  Annihilation  is  the  reduction  of  some- 
thing to  nothing.  A  positive  act  always  results  in  some- 
thing positive.  A  positive  act  of  a  creature  can  only  change 
the  material  upon  which  it  operates.  It  can  cause  a  change 
in  the  state  or  being  of  the  thing,  but  it  never  can  cause 
the  thing  itself  to  disappear  entirely.  This  is  what  a  chem- 
ical change  does.  Annihilation  is  possible,  then,  only  by 
the  withdrawal  of  the  conserving  power  of  God.  But  it 
is  God  who  conserves  the  soul;  therefore  to  Him  and  not 
to  the  soul,  nor  to  any  creature  does  the  power  to  annihilate 
belong. 

An  efficacious  sanction  of  the  moral  law  demands  a 
future  existence.  Good  deeds  are  not  sufficiently  rewarded 
in  this  life,  or  in  other  words,  the  virtuous  do  not  receive 
a  sufficient  recompense  here.  On  the  other  hand,  wicked 
deeds  do  not  carry  with  them  sufficient  punishment,  or  in 
other  words,  the  wicked  do  not  receive  sufficient  punish- 
ment for  their  bad  deeds.  I  appeal  to  personal  observa- 
tion for  a  confirmation.  How  many  good  people,  even  in 
our  midst,  suffer  temporal  crosses  and  afflictions,  whilst 
their  wicked  neighbors  have  all  that  the  world  can  give! 
Now  an  infinitely  holy  and  just  God  cannot  permit  this 
to  remain  so  forever.  He  cannot  allow  those  who  break 
the  laws  of  nature,  and  violate  His  positive  precepts,  to  be 
ultimately  better  and  happier  than  those  who  observe  His 
Commandments,  and  make  sacrifices  *  for  His  honor  and 
glory.  We  must  therefore  admit  that  there  is  another 
world  where  all  these  inequalities  and  deficiencies  will  be 
set  right. 

The  desire  of  perfect  happiness  argues  the  existence 
of  a  future  life.  No  one  will  certainly  question  the  fact 
that  man  desires  to  be  perfectly  happy.  The  more  noble 
and  spiritual  a  man's  life  is,  the  stronger  is  this  desire  in 
him.  Man  wishes  for  perfect  beatitude.  What  is  the  history 


SERMON  ON  GOD  AND  THE  SOUL         13 

of  man  but  a  yearning  and  a  striving  after  happiness! 
Neither  is  he  ever  satisfied.  He  soon  begins  to  realize  that 
the  world  cannot  satisfy  this  rational  desire.  But  is  it 
not  against  the  attributes  of  God  to  put  such  yearning 
into  man's  breast,  and  not  put  within  his  reach  the  power 
to  realize  it?  Yes,  this  craving  for  perfect  happiness  and 
for  eternal  life  is  a  strong  proof  of  the  immortality  of  the 
soul. 

My  brethren,  we  have  finished  our  task.  It  has  re- 
quired a  strained  effort  on  my  part,  and  I  know  the  closest 
attention  on  yours.  We  have  dealt  with  the  most  neces- 
sary, subtle  truths,  and  my  reasoning,  to  be  of  much  value, 
must  have  been  abstract,  and  my  language  must  have  been 
devoid  of  ornament.  I  could  have  advanced  other  proofs 
much  less  abstract,  and  dressed  them  up  in  rhetorical  lan- 
guage. I  could  have  advanced  proofs  from  the  beauty  and 
order  of  the  universe,  and  the  universal  consent  of  man  in 
support  of  the  existence  of  God.  I  could  have  appealed  to 
many  facts  impossible  of  explanation  without  the  spiritual- 
ity of  the  soul.  I  could  have  drawn  analogies  from  nature 
from  which  we  might  infer  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 
But  these  would  be  only  probable  and  confirmatory  proofs. 
I  have  offered  the  metaphysical  proofs  which  are  irrefutable 
and  conclusive! 


SERMON  ON  THE  FIRST  MIRACLE  OF  CHRIST. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — This  is  a  beautiful  and  sublime 
gospel ;  beautiful  on  account  of  the  simplicity  of  the  lan- 
guage, and  sublime  on  account  of  the  matter  treated  therein. 
In  it,  by  contrast  we  see  the  two  sides  of  Christ,  the  human 
and  divine,  blended  together  most  harmoniously.  How 
consoling  to  poor  human  nature,  and  what  lessons ! 

"At  that  time,  there  was  a  wedding  feast  in  Cana  of 
Galilee;  and  the  mother  of  Jesus  was  there.  And  Jesus 
also  was  invited,  and  His  disciples,  to  the  wedding.  And 
the  wine  failing,  the  mother  of  Jesus  saith  to  Him;  They 
have  no  wine." 

My  Brethren,  it  is  a  traditionary  belief  that  the  bride 
and  groom  were  related  to  the  Blessed  Virgin.  St.  John 
does  not  say  that  «he  had  been  invited.  She  needed  not  an 
invitation.  As  a  relative,  she  came  before-hand  to  assist  in 
the  preparation  for  it.  No  doubt,  on  account  of  their 
humble  station,  and  the  unlocked  for  arrival  of  the  discip- 
les, and  those  who  accompanied  them,  it  was  that  the  wine 
began  to  fail.  The  Blessed  Virgin  did  not  wait  until  it  had 
been  entirely  consumed,  and  thus  cause  the  host  and  hostess 
great  embarrassment;  but  as  soon  as  the  waiters  apprised 
her  of  their  fears,  she  immediately  went  to  her  Son,  in 
whose  omnipotent  power  she  firmly  believed,  and  acquaint- 
ed Him  of  the  circumstances.  She  did  not  make  a  direct 
request.  She  does  not  ask  her  Son  to  work  a  miracle. 
Quietly  and  modestly  she  goes  up  to  Him  and  simply  says: 
"They  have  no  wine."  There  was  no  need  for  her  to  make 
a  special  request;  for  she  knew  from  past  experience  that 
He  would  come  to  her  assistance,  and  anticipate  even  her 
slightest  wish. 

"And  Jesus  saith  to  her:  Woman  what  have  I  to  do 
with  thee?  My  hour  is  not  yet  come." 

Rome  of  our  non-catholic  commentators  see  in  those 
14 


SERMON  ON  THE  FIRST  MIRACLE  OF  CHRIST  15 

words  a  reprimand,  given  to  the  Mother  of  Jesus.  But 
they  imply  nothing  derogatory  at  all  to  her. 

The  English  word  "woman",  beginning  a  direct  address 
has  some  harshness  in  it  nowadays.  But  not  so  with  the 
word  used  by  Christ.  The  Syro-Chaldaic  word  used  by 
Christ  meant  "Mistress",  "Lady".  But  granting  that  He 
did  use  the  word  "woman",  was  it  not  by  this  same  word 
that  He  addressed  her,  when  hanging  on  the  Cross,  and  He 
saw  her  standing  at  the  foot  weeping  streams  of  tears,  and 
disconsolate?  And  was  it  not  by  this  same  word  "woman", 
that  He  addressed  her  on  that  most  solemn  and  sorrowful 
of  all  occasions,  when  about  to  breathe  His  last,  He  bade  her 
farewell,  and  commended  her  to  His  beloved  disciple? — 
"Woman,  behold  thy  Son !" 

"What  have  I  to  do  with  thee?"  That  phrase  in  the 
Syro-Chaldaic  tongue  had  no  harshness  in  it.  It  is  used 
several  times  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  in  no 
one  instance  does  it  imply  any  kind  of  reproof.  It  simply 
presented  a  lively  objection,  or  sometimes  a  mild  dissent. 
Why  should  Christ  reprove  His  mother  on  this  occasion? 
Why  should  He  reprove  her  whom  He  loved  so  tenderly, 
and  for  no  fault?  Her  action  was  dictated  by  a  spirit  of 
consideration  and  kindness.  But  behold  the  outcome!  It 
is  the  best  interpreter.  Is  she  disconcerted  or  dismayed? 
Full  of  confidence,  she  knows  that  her  wish  will  be  fulfilled. 
For  immediately  she  says  to  the  waiters:  "Whatever  He 
shall  say  to  you,  do  ye."  How  does  Christ  act?  On  the 
instant  He  sets  to  work  and  performs  a  wonderful  miracle. 
Away  then  with  the  thought  that  those  words  contain  the 
least  reprimand  I  It  is  almost  blasphemy  to  harbor  such 
an  opinion ! 

"My  hour  is  not  yet  come."  By  an  eternal  decree  of 
God,  the  time  for  working  miracles  and  proving  His  divin- 
ity had  not  yet  come.  But  by  another  eternal  decree  in 
view  of  the  merits  of  His  immaculate  mother  who  would 
request  Him,  this  ordinary  arrangement  of  Providence 
would  be  interfered  with,  so  to  speak,  and  a  miracle  would 
be  performed.  This  throws  more  light  too  on  the  phrase: 
"What  to  Me  and  to  thee",  the  literal  translation. 

His   mother   saith    to   the   waiters :      "Whatsoever   He 


16 

shall  say  to  ye,  do  ye;"  Now  six  stone  pitchers  were  set 
there  after  the  manner  of  the  purifying  of  the  Jews,  con- 
taining two  or  three  measures  apiece.  Jesus  saith  to  them : 
"Fill  the  pitchers  with  water."  And  they  filled  them  up 
to  the  brim.  And  Jesus  saith  to  them:  "Draw  out  now 
and  carry  to  the  master  of  the  feast."  And  they  carried  it. 

My  Brethren,  these  six  stone  pitchers  were  standing 
close  by,  filled  with  water,  and  covered  with  branches  to 
keep  the  water  cool  and  fresh.  The  guests  were  required 
not  only  to  wash  their  feet  before  touching  the  linen  and 
drapery  of  their  couches,  (they  ate  reclining)  but  during 
the  meal  to  purify  frequently  their  hands.  The  banquet 
must  have  progressed  considerably,  for  the  urns  by  the 
frequent  purifications  were  being  emptied.  They  were 
water  vessels  able  to  hold  at  least  twenty  gallons.  Hence 
this  removes  all  suspicion  that  they  were  carried  there  full 
of  wine  for  deception. 

"Fill  the  pitchers  with  water."  And  they  filled  them 
to  the  brim.  There  was  no  room  to  pour  in  even  a  little 
wine  and  mix  it  with  the  water.  They  were  filled  to  the 
brim.  The  servants,  disinterested  parties,  filled  them  too, 
so  that  it  could  not  be  said  that  Christ,  or  His  disciples 
brought  the  wine  to  give  the  color  of  a  miracle  to  the 
occurrence. 

"Draw  out  now  and  carry  to  the  master  of  the  feast." 
This  shows  that  the  miracle  was  worked  on  the  spot,  and 
proves  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  are  ordered 
to  carry  it  to  the  master,  to  him  who  presided  at  the  ban- 
quet, who  was  overseeing  all  arrangements,  and  not  to  the 
host.  Hence  there  would  be  no  reason  of  deception,  and 
he  would  be  the  best  judge  of  the  quality  of  the  wine. 

"And  when  the  master  of  the  feast  tasted  the  water 
made  wine,  and  knew  not  whence  it  was,  but  the  waiters 
who  drew  the  water  knew,  the  master  of  the  feast  calleth 
the  bridegroom,  and  saith  to  him:  'Every  man  at  first 
setteth  forth  good  wine,  and  when  men  have  well  drunk, 
then  that  which  is  inferior;  but  thou  hast  kept  the  good 
wine  until  now.'  This  beginning  of  miracles  did  Jesus  in 
Cana,  of  Galilee,  and  manifested  His  glory,  and  His  discip- 
les believed  in  him." 


SERMON  ON  THE  FIRST  MIRACLE  OF  CHRIST  '37 

"And  knew  not  whence  it  came."  This  circumstance 
adds  much  weight  to  the  truth  and  splendor  of  the  mir- 
acle. This  miracle,  Christ  must  have  worked  without 
any  form  of  words  or  external  ceremonies.  For  the  waiters 
saw  and  heard  nothing;  and  "He  calleth  the  bridegroom". 

At  banquets,  the  usual  practice  is  to  serve  the  best 
wine  first,  that  while  the  taste  is  still  sharp  it  will  be 
better  appreciated.  Then  when  the  taste  is  somewhat 
blunted  by  satiety,  to  bring  on  the  inferior  quality.  These 
words  are  not  intended  to  convey  that  there  was  any  intem- 
perance at  the  banquet.  The  chief  steward  by  the  words : 
"When  men  have  well  drunk,"  was  referring  to  a  fact  that 
usually  happens,  and  not  to  this  particular  occurrence. 
The  quantity  and  quality  of  the  wine,  and  the  manner  of 
the  miracles,  show  the  divine  splendor  and  munificence  of 
the  Lord. 

This  was  the  first  of  Christ's  public  miracles.  Whether 
He  had  before  this,  worked  any  miracles  in  private,  we 
cannot  say,  most  probably,  not.  All  of  Christ's  miracles 
were  intended  to  glorify  God  by  increasing  faith  in  His 
followers. 

Christ's  disciples  from  the  testimony  of  John  and  their 
conversation  with  Him,  had  already  believed  in  His  divin- 
ity. But  our  faith  can  be  made  stronger  and  firmer;  and 
such  was  the  effect  of  this  miracle,  and  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase:  "And  his  disciples  believed  in  Him." 

My  Brethren,  today's  gospel  is  quite  consoling.  Christ,, 
although  God,  condescended  to  be  present  at  a  wedding 
festivity,  where  we  know  a  great  deal  of  mirth,  and  merri- 
ment were  carried  on.  Christ  our  model,  went  there,  and 
no  doubt,  was  not  only  an  onlooker,  but  helped  to  enliven 
the  scene.  Christ  then  by  His  presence  at  this  wedding, 
sanctified  innocent  recreation  and  pleasure.  Yes,  pleas- 
ures and  enjoyments  kept  within  proper  bounds,  are  not 
only  lawful  and  legitimate,  but  for  most  people  are  neces- 
sary. It  is  unlawful  pleasures  and  amusements  that  are 
forbidden.  "The  bow"  as  the  great  St.  John  Chrysostom 
says,  (when  some  pharasaical  creature  was  scandalized  at 
seeing  him  indulging  in  innocent  recreation)  "the  bow," 


18  SERMON  ON  THE  FIRST  MIRACLE  OF  CHRIST 

said  he,'  "cannot  always  be  bent,  or  else  it  will  lose  its 
strength." 

My  Brethren,  perhaps  some  fanatics  will  be  scandalized 
and  shocked  when  they  read  this  gospel,  and  learn  that 
wine  was  the  beverage  used  at  the  wedding.  These  same 
people  are  shocked,  whenever  they  learn  that  wine  is  used 
on  any  occasion,  or  in  any  manner  whatever.  It  is  the 
scandal  of  the  Pharisee,  and  we  are  not  obliged  to  pay  any 
attention  to  it.  Dare  ye  to  criticise  Christ,  our  Model! 
Dare  ye  to  criticise  the  infinite  Wisdom !  Wine  is  a  creature 
of  God,  and  like  everything  that  comes  from  His  hand,  is 
good  in  itself.  In  the  abuse  of  it  lies  the  evil.  It  is  the 
abuse  of  strong  drink,  and  the  places,  and  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  sold,  and  intemperance  and  drunkenness  that 
constitute  the  evil  of  the  liquor  traffic. 

My  Brethren,  our  divine  Lord,  by  His  presence  at  this 
feast,  sanctified  the  marriage  state.  Yes,  marriage  is  a 
holy  state,  and  has,  and  will  be  the  lot  of  most  people,  and 
our  Lord  raised  it  to  the  dignity  of  a  Sacrament.  The  love 
between  husband  and  wife.  He  willed  to  be  symbolical  of 
the  love  between  Himself  and  the  Church.  Marriage  is  a 
holy  state,  but  virginity  consecrated  to  God,  is  holier.  St. 
Paul  teaches  this  doctrine,  and  gives  the  reason  for  it: 
"He  that  is  without  wife  is  solicitous  for  the  things  of  the 
Lord,  how  he  shall  please  God.  But  he  that  is  with  wife  is 
solicitous  for  the  things  of  the  world,  how  he  may  please 
his  wife,  and  is  divided."  To  you,  in  the  words  of  St.  Paul, 
I  say :  "Therefore,  both  he  that  giveth  his  virgin  in  marriage 
doth  well;  and  he  that  giveth  her  not,  doth  better." 

And  fourthly  and  lastly —  and  this  is  the  most  import- 
ant lesson  I  would  draw  from  the  gospel,  and  I  wish  to 
impress  it  upon  you  at  the  beginning  of  the  New  Year — 
namely,  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  Mother  of  God. 
Ro  great  was  her  intercessory  power  with  Him,  that  she 
had  the  eternal  decree  of  God,  so  to  speak,  changed.  In- 
stead of  today's  gospel  teaching  anything  derogatory  to  the 
Mother  of  God,  it  exalts  her  beyond  all  measure.  Because 
flhe  willed  it,  Christ  worked  a  great  miracle  before  the  time 
»et  in  the  dispensation  of  God. 

The  Blessed  Virgin  is  still  Christ's  mother,  and  she -is 


SERMON  ON  THE  FIRST  MIRACLE  OF  CHRIST  19 

seated  nearest  His  throne.  She  has  more  power  over  Him 
now  than  when  on  earth.  No  doubt  it  is  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
who  holds  back  the  omnipotent  arm-  of  God,  when  at  times, 
on  account  of  the  wickedness  of  the  people,  He  would  roll 
back  the  flood  gates  of  Heaven  and  sweep  man  from  off 
the  face  of  the  earth. 

It'  is  true  that  God  could  save  us  without  the  interces- 
sory power  of  the  Blessed  Virgin;  but  since  He  took  her 
into  the  designs  of  the  adorable  Trinity,  when  our  redemp- 
tion was  devised  and  planned,  He  wishes  us  to  come  to 
Himself  and  His  kingdom  in  a  great  measure  through  His 
mother.  Let  us  invoke  her  frequently,  especially  in  temp- 
tations and  trials,  knowing  that  true  devotion  to  her  is  a 
sign  of  predestination.  O  Mother  of  God,  take  us  all  under 
thy  sweet  care,  and  be  with  us  now,  during  every  moment 
of  our  lives,  and  especially  be  with  us  at  the  hour  of  our 
death !  Amen ! 


SERMON    ON    THE    POSSIBILITY    AND    NECESSITY 
OF  REVELATION. 

DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE  HOLY  NAME  SOCIETY  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S 
CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

Dear  Members  of  the  Holy  Name  Society: — The  sub- 
ject upon  which  I  am  going  to  speak  tonight — "The  Possi- 
bility and  Necessity  of  a  Supernatural  Religion — is  one  of 
the  most  important  parts  of  Christian  Apologetics.  If  a 
supernatural  religion  be  not  possible,  then  "de  facto",  there 
is  no  such  thing  as  Christianity.  Christianity  is  a  gigantic 
fraud,  its  teachers,  impostors,  and  its  disciples,  dupes; 
Whereas,  if  it  be  possible,  is  there  not  a  sort  of  an  antece- 
dent probability  of  its  existence?  At  least  there  is  an  obli- 
gation upon  every  man  to  investigate  its  claims.  If  we 
demonstrate  its  necessity,  then  half  the  battle  against  the 
enemies  of  Christianity  is  won.  If  it  is  necessary  to  man, 
then  it  must  be,  otherwise,  God  does  not  concern  Himself 
about  His  creatures,  and  the  Creator  is  indifferent  to  the 
work  of  His  hands. 

Tonight,  we  are  going  to  show  that  a  supernatural 
religion  is  not  only  possible,  but  is  necessary  in  order  that 
man  may  know  and  reach  the  natural  end  of  his  existence. 

I  take  it  that  you  understand  by  the  word  "man",  man- 
kind in  general.  We  grant  that  here  or  there  may  be  found 
an  individual  who  may  fully  reach  his  natural  end  with- 
out supernatural  aid;  but  we  affirm  that  by  far  the  major- 
ity of  men  would  remain  in  ignorance  of  it,  and  would  fail 
to  reach  it  without  a  supernatural  religion.  We  grant  that, 
abstractly  considered,  it  is  possible  for  man  to  reach  his 
natural  end  without  a  supernatural  religion ;  but  we  affirm 
that  when  you  take  man  in  his  present  condition — with  his 
aptitude  and  his  cares,  and  the  truths  of  religion  with  their 
.sublimity  and  depth— the  majority  of  men  by  far  would 
remain  in  ignorance  of,  and  fail  to  practice  their  duties 
toward  God,  neighbor  and  self;  and  even  if  an  exceptional 
20 


POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION          21 

individual  would  be  so  fortunate,  it  would  be  only  late  in 
life  after  much  serious  study  and  labor.  With  such  ex- 
planations we  enter  upon  our  task. 

In  the  possibility  of  a  supernatural  religion,  four  and 
only  four  things  are  to  be  considered : — First,  God  who  re- 
veals; second,  man  who  receives  the  revelation;  third,  the 
truths  revealed;  and  fourth,  the  manner  of  the  revelation. 
Now,  if  we  show  that  God  knows  truths,  which  man  does 
not;  that  He  can  reveal  them,  and  that  it  will  not  be  un- 
becoming to  His  majesty  and  wisdom  to  do  so;  if  we  show 
that  man  can  be  taught  by  God,  and  be  certain  that  God 
has  spoken;  and  even  if  man  does  not  comprehend  all  the 
revealed  truths,  but  believes  them  on  the  word  of  God,  he 
does  not  thereby  abdicate  his  reason ; — -then  we  have  sus- 
tained the  contention  that  a  supernatural  religion  is  pos- 
sible. 

Who  will  deny  that  an  infinite  mind  does  know  many 
truths  which  a  finite  mind  does  not  know?  Among  men, 
whose  intellects  are  finite,  we  see  some  who  know  many 
things  of  which  the  rest  of  men  are  ignorant.  Do  not  men 
of  science  know  many  truths  of  which  the  uneducated 
have  never  heard?  God  is  the  infinite  Truth,  upon  His 
intellect  depends  all  truth,  in  His  mind  are  the  prototypes 
of  all  actual  and  possible  beings.  He  sees  from  eternity  to 
eternity.  With  Him  there  is  no  past,  nor  future,  but  only 
an  eternal  present.  To  deny  that  He  does  know  many 
truths  of  which  the  most  learned  are  ignorant,  is  to  deny 
that  He  is  omniscient,  it  is  to  place  the  knowledge  of  the 
Infinite  and  the  finite  on  the  same  level.  Who  will  deny 
that  the  Omnipotent  One  can,  either  by  help  of  words  or 
by  the  infusion  of  ideas  into  the  mind,  reveal  these  truths? 
Surely  He,  who  created  the  intellect,  and  gave  the  power 
of  speech  to  man,  can  illuminate  his  mind.  Neither  will  an 
illumination  in  such  a  way  be  unbecoming  to  God.  Not  to 
His  majesty;  for  if  it  were  not  unbecoming  to  His  majesty 
to  create  man,  it  certainly  is  not  unbecoming  to  His  majesty 
to  have  a  care  over  man,  and  to  provide  for  his  perfection 
and  salvation.  Not  to  His  wisdom;  for  revelation  is  a 
new  light  which  is  added  to  reason  to  perfect  it  by  mani- 
festing new  truths,  or  proposing  more  clearly  some  ob- 


22          POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OP   REVELATION 

scurely  known.  God  has  a  sufficient  reason  in  so  doing; 
for  it  is  to  manifest  more  perfectly  His -attributes,  and  to 
elevate  man  to  a  closer  union  with  the  Divinity. 

Man  can  be  taught  by  God.  For  this  it  is  requiped,  and 
sufficient,  that  man  can  hear  God  speaking,  and  understand 
Him.  If  man  can  be  taught  by  man— if  one  man  can  speak 
to  another,  and  be  understood  by  him — surely  the  Infinite 
Creator  can  speak  to  His  creature  and  be  understood  by 
him.  If  it  is  not  below  the  dignity  of  man  to  listen  to  a 
human  teacher,  it  certainly  is  not  below  his  dignity  to 
listen  to  God  who  cannot  be  deceived,  nor  deceive.  The 
human  mind  is  independent  in  the  sense  that  it  is  not 
held  to  embrace  a  truth  before  it  sees  it  to  be  a  truth;  but 
human  reason  does  command  us  to  embrace  that  which  is 
proposed  to  us  by  a  learned  and  truthful  man;  and  much 
more  so  if  that  master  be  God,  who  is  infinite  in  knowledge 
and  veracity. 

A  revelation  can  be  made  in  two  ways;  either  God  can 
speak  directly  to  each  individual,  or  by  the  help  of  leg- 
ates, speak  to  the  human  race.  Now  either  way  is  possible 
with  God.  To  say  that  God  cannot  speak  directly  ty> 
each  man  is  to  place  His  power  below  that  of  man.  Every 
moment  during  the  day,  man  is  speaking  to  his  fellow 
man.  To  deny  the  second  manner  of  revelation,  is  to  deny 
the  omnipotence  of  God.  The  only  thing  necessary  is  that 
a  true  legate  can  be  known  from  an  impostor.  Now,  mir- 
acles are  such  means.  No  one  can  work  a  miracle  except 
through  the  power  of  God.  A  miracle  is  the  seal  of  God, 
put  upon  a  work,  stamping  it  divine,  and  giving  the  legate 
divine  credentials. 

There  remains  for  us  to  show  the  possibility  of  reve- 
lation from  the  fourth  point  of  view.  That  God  can  re- 
veal truths  which  may  be  known  from  the  natural  light  of 
reason,  we  have  sufficiently  shown.  That  God  can  reveal 
positive  precepts  which  do  not  necessarily  flow  from  the 
nature  of  things,  but  depend  upon  His  free  and  positive 
will,  is  easily  seen  from  an  analogy.  God  who  is  the 
Supreme  Lord,  certainly  has  greater  power  and  authority 
than  civil  rulers.  Now,  they  enact  and  enforce  positive 
precepts  which  do  not  flow  from  the  nature  of  things  for 


POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION          23 

I 

the  purpose  of  promoting  the  good  of  civil  society.  God, 
therefore,  can  do  the  same.  He  can  reveal  positive  pre- 
cepts to  manifest  more  vividly  His  supreme  dominion,  to 
promote  the  better  observance  of  the  natural  law,  and  to 
determine  more  definitely  all  that  pertains  to  the  worship 
of  Himself.  Neither  will  this  interfere  with  human  liberty; 
for  a  wise  law,  instead  of  hurting  liberty,  directs  it.  God 
in  giving  positive  precepts,  also  gives  the  necessary  help 
to  keep  them.  And  thus,  they  become  the  occasion  of  merit. 

But  we  are  told  the  quarrel  is  with  the  mysteries; 
God  cannot,  say  the  naturalists,  reveal  truths  which  are 
above  the  comprehension  of  man,  as  for  example,  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Blessed  Trinity.  Now,  if  there  is  no  repugnance 
on  the  part  of  God,  nor  on  the  part  of  man,  then  the  reve- 
lation of  mysteries  is  possible. 

God  certainly  knows  such  truths.  There  are  many 
truths  which  are  comprehended  by  the  learned  which  the 
illiterate  do  not  understand.  But,  this  is  no  reason  why 
they  should  reject  them.  They  perform  a  most  reasonable 
act  when  they  accept  them  upon  the  authority  of  scholars. 
There  are  many  truths  in  philosophy  and  science,  which 
even  the  learned  accept,  although  they  do  not  comprehend 
them  fully.  Who  has  penetrated  inwardly  into  the  nature 
of  vegetable  and  animal  life?  Who  understands  internally 
the  laws  of  attraction  and  cohesion?  Who  can  fathom  the 
mystery  of  creation?  Who  can  comprehend  the  agreement 
of  human  liberty  with  divine  foreknowledge?  Who  can 
explain  the  union  between  soul  and  body?  Who  knows  the 
intimate  nature  of  electricity?  These  are  natural  mysteries 
which  we  believe,  although  we  do  not  fully  comprehend 
them.  Should  we  not  then  expect  to  find  mysteries  in  the 
supernatural  order?  Yes,  we  should  be  surprised  if  we 
did  not.  Now,  men  communicate  natural  mysteries;  for 
a  still  greater  reason  God  can  communicate  supernatural 
mysteries. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  belief,  that  we  see  the  agree 
ment  between  two  ideas.  If  God  says  that  such  an  agree- 
ment exists,  and  we  understand  the  subject  and  predicate, 
that  is  all  that  is  required.  We  perform  a  most  reasonable 
act  in  believing  such  mysteries  on  the  authority  of  God. 


24          POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION 

Yea,  to  reject  revealed  mysteries  because  we  do  not  exactly 
see  how  the  predicate  is  contained  in  the  subject,  is  most 
irrational;  and  we  are  inconsistent.  St.  Thomas  says  that 
as  it  would  be  a  sign  of  idiocy  in  an  illiterate  person  to 
assert  as  false,  truths — proposed  by  learned  men,  because 
he  did  not  comprehend  them;  so  it  would  be  a  sign  of 
greater  idiocy  in  learned  men  to  reject  as  false,  truths 
which  were  proposed  by  God,  because  they  did  not  compre- 
hend them. 

We  come  now  to  the  second  part  of  our  subject,  namely, 
the  necessity  of  a  supernatural  religion.  We  have  said  that 
such  a  help  is  necessary  in  order  that  man  may  know  and 
practice  the  truths  of  natural  religion,  and  reach  his  nat- 
ural end  and  destiny. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  principal  truths  of 
natural  religion  are  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being,  the 
immortality  of  the  soul,  a  future  life  of  reward  or  punish- 
ment, the  sacredness  of  life,  the  sanctity  of  home,  and  the 
practice  of  justice  and  truth.  I  do  not  think  it  necessary 
to  show  that  these  truths  must  be  known,  and  must  enter 
into  the  lives  of  the  people  if  civil  society  is  to  exist  and 
progress.  Without  them,  might  becomes  right,  and  man's 
selfish  passions,  the  directing  principle.  Now  in  order  that 
man  might  know  these  truths,  they  should  bear  before  them 
the  greatest  evidence.  They  should  be  almost  evidently  true. 
But  most  of  them  are  not,  and,  following  the  reasoning  of 
St.  Thomas,  of  Aquin,  we  shall  show  that  without  a  revela- 
tion, mankind  would  remain  in  ignorance  of  them. 

From  one  of  three  causes,  man,  without  supernatural 
assistance  cannot  come  to  their  knowledge.  First,  man's 
inaptitude ;  a  large  percentage  of  the  human  race,  on  account 
of  their  mental  incapacity,  would  never  discern  those  truths 
by  unaided  reason.  Anyone  who  has  studied  philosophy 
realizes  keenly  that  it  requires  a  good  mind,  a  high  degree 
of  mental  discipline,  to  reason  upon  those  truths.  Secondly, 
granting,  that  all  men  were  mentally  gifted  and  cultured, 
they  could  not  find  the  necessary  time  for  the  investigation 
of  those  truths.  The  cares  of  life,  the  necessity  of  providing 
for  themselves,  and  for  their  families, — business  and  labor 
—would  preclude  such  serious  study.  Thirdly,  granting 


POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OP   REVELATION          25 

that  all  men  were  intellectually  fit,  and  had  time,  they  would 
want  the  necessary  energy  and  ambition  to  prosecute  such 
studies  successfully.  Granting  all  the  foregoing  supposi- 
tions (which  are  contrary  to  facts),  on  account  of  the  sub- 
limity of  those  truths,  and  man's  having  been  born  in  ig- 
norance, and  subjected  to  passions,  he  would  discover  those 
truths  only  late  in  life,  and  would  not  be  certain  of  them. 
From  the  study  of  the  nature  of  man,  and  of  the  truths  of 
natural  religion,  we  are  therefore  led  to  conclude  that  a 
very  small  percentage  of  the  human  race  would  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truths  necessary  for  the  right  institu- 
tion, and  prosecution  of  life,  without  supernatural  help. 

.  But  some  will  say,  we  grant  that  the  "a  priori"  reason- 
ing seems  sound  and  convincing,  but  facts  are  another  thing. 
Does  history  bear  out  those  conclusions?  Yes,  and  that  is 
what  we  shall  proceed  to  show.  The  historical  argument 
is  conclusive  in  itself.  For  if  it  were  within  the  power  of 
unaided  reason  and  will,  to  discover  those  truths,  and 
live  them  out,  four  thousand  years  surely  was  a  sufficient 
length  of  time  in  which  to  make  the  trial ;  I  lay  these  down 
as  historical  facts:  that  the  farther  the  Pagan  nations  got 
away  from  the  primitive  revelation,  the  more  obscure  and 
erroneous  became  their  ideas  about  the  truths  of  natural 
religion; — that  they  fell  into  the  grossest  errors,  both  intel- 
lectual and  moral;  that  men's  minds  became  so  darkened, 
and  their  wills  so  corrupt,  that  Socrates,  a  Greek  philos- 
opher, four  hundred  years  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  cried 
out:  "Unless  some  one  comes  to  put  aside  the  thick  mist, 
no  man  can  know  how  to  comport  himself  towards  God  and 
man." 

The  Pagan  nations  of  antiquity  were  the  Chinese,  Hin- 
doos, the  Chaldeans,  the  Egyptians,  the  Greeks,  and  the 
Romans.  What  were  the  beliefs  and  morals  of  those  na- 
tions? The  Chinese  believed  in  a  supreme  reason  called 
Tao,  and  in  a  heaven  called  Tien.  They  had  no  system  of 
morality.  Their  emperor  typified  Tao,  and  their  monarchy 
was  a  type  of  their  heaven.  Even  after  Confucius,  five  hun- 
dred years  before  Christ,  their  moral  code  was  one  of  no 
utility,  and  was  vain  and  empty. 

The  Hindoos  had  three  principal  divinities :     Indra,  the 


26           POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION 

god  of  air,  thunder,  and  rain ;  Varuna,  the  god  of  the  vault 
of  the  heavens;  and  Agni,  the  god  of  fire.  These  divinities 
were  supposed  to  have  wives  who  were  worshipped  as 
secondary  deities.  Their  morality  being  founded  upon  the 
principle  that  man's  life  here  is  a  state  of  misery,  they 
taught  that  he  must  either  become  immerged  into  the  su- 
preme good  (Pantheism),  or  lose  his  personality  (next  to 
annihilation).  Hence,  he  must  detach  himself  entirely  from 
things  earthly,  and  disregard  all  temporal  affairs. 

The  Chaldeans  first  worshipped  the  stars.  The  sun  was 
the  supreme  deity,  and  the  moon  a  secondary  deity.  They 
believed  in  two  great  principles,  the  one — the  true,  the  pure, 
the  good,  and  the  other,  the  spirit  of  darkness,  untruthful- 
ness  and  death.  But  finally  they  fell  back  into  astrological 
superstitions,  and  worshipped  the  stars  and  the  powers  of 
nature. 

The  Egyptians  believed  that  primeval  matter  from  in- 
finite darkness,  begot  by  generation,  the  sun-god,  who  in  his 
turn  begot  of  his  mother,  other  gods.  The  sun-gods  were 
in  different  places,  worshipped  under  different  names.  They 
attributed  their  civilization,  their  laws  and  arts  to  their 
gods.  But  at  a  later  date  they  worshipped  the  animals. 
They  had  two  principal  divine  bulls.  Apis  and  Mnevis, 
and  the  latter  they  called  the  "Twice  great  and  ancient  god, 
and  the  great  god  and  king  of  heaven  and  earth."  Even 
women  at  their  religious  ceremonies  indulged  in  the  grossest 
licentiousness. 

We  have  now  reached  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans.  The 
Greeks  worshipped  Zeus  as  the  god  of  the  heavens,  and  Gaia 
as  the  goddess  of  earth.  They  had  minor  divinities.  Homer 
and  Hesiod — were  their  authorities  on  religion.  Homer 
represented  all  the  gods  assembled  on  beautiful  Olympus, 
presided  over  by  Zeus.  They  believed  that  their  gods  had 
the  form,  desires,  occupations,  patriotic  feelings,  virtues, 
and  the  vices  of  men,  and  were  subject  to  the  inevitable 
decrees  of  fate.  Their  worship  consisted  of  symbols,  signs 
and  ceremonies,  and  allegorical  representations  of  legions, 
and  portions  of  the  mystical  histories  of  their  gods.  Accom- 
panying their  worship  were  many  indecent  and  immoral 
celebrations.  Then  arose  the  philosophers.  Thales  taught 


POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION          27 

that  water  was  the  principle  of  all  things,  Anaximenes 
placed  it  in  the  air,  and  Anaximander  believed  it  to  be  fire. 
Pythagoras  defied  the  powers  of  nature,  and  taught  the 
transmigration  of  souls.  Plato  came  nearest  of  all  the  phi- 
losophers to  the  truth.  He  taught  the  existence  of  a  supreme 
Being,  had  a  vague  notion  of  the  fall  of  man,  a  distinct  idea 
of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  a  hopeful  belief  in  a 
future  life.  Aristotle,  although  admitting  a  supreme  intel- 
ligence, rejected  his  personal,  wise  and  providential  direc- 
tion of  human  affairs  by  teaching  that  all  things  were  fixed 
and  unchangeable.  Denying  the  free  will  of  man,  he  struck 
down  the  basis  of  morality.  Epicurus  taught  that  happi- 
ness is  the  supreme  god.  '  Zeno  taught  that  everything  is 
god.  Religion  began  to  wane  among  the  Greeks.  No  one 
could  be  believed,  no  one  trusted.  The  illicit  love  of  boys 
prevailed  everywhere.  Pederasty  was  common.  Art  became 
most  immoral,  pandering  to  the  grossest  sensuality.  Aph- 
rodite and  their  other  goddesses  were  worshipped  by  very 
immoral  rites. 

The  religion  of  the  ancient  Romans  was  most  contra- 
dictory. Whilst  they  had  one  supreme  god  whom  they 
called  Jupiter,  nevertheless  by  impersonating  the  powers  of 
nature,  they  split  up  his  unity.  And  in  the  end  the  most 
trivial  occupation  of  man  had  its  own  tutelary  deity.  While 
art  was  the  characteristic  element  of  the  Grecian  religion, 
morals  and  politics  were  that  of  the  Romans.  But  even 
in  the  time  of  the  Tarquins,  Greece  began  to  exercise  an  in- 
fluence on  the  religion  of  the  Romans,  and  with  it  came 
idols,  then  Greek  modes  of  worship;  and  in  their  train  fol- 
lowed immorality  and  the  loss  of  civic  virtues. 

The  Romans  now  praised  justice,  but  nowhere  practiced 
it.  They  strove  to  subject  the  whole  world  to  their  power. 
The  state  became  supreme;  man,  as  such,  was  nothing; 
everything  was  swallowed  up  in  his  citizenship.  The  State 
was  their  divinity,  and  all  things  must  be  made  subservient 
to  it.  After  drinking  in  the  blood  of  other  nations,  Rome 
turned  upon  herself.  Civil  strife  was  rampant,  and  bloody 
wars  ensued.  Fratricides,  homicides  and  suicides  were  fre- 
quent. Under  the  Emperors,  the  confusion  and  moral  de- 
pravity especially  grew  worse.  The  feasts  of  the  Lupercal 


28          POSSIBILITY   AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION 

and  Floreal  were  celebrated  with  wanton  lasciviousness  and 
debaucheries.  Obscene  and  immoral  plays  prevailed  at  the 
theatres.  Life  was  no  longer  regarded  as  sacred,  and  suicides 
caused  no  surprise.  This  unbelief  and  immorality  were  fol- 
lowed by  the  grossest  superstitions.  Astrologers,  sorcerers 
and  soothsayers,  swarmed  to  Rome  where  they  played  upon 
the  credulity  of  the  people.  The  philosophers  were  power- 
less to  offer  any  resistance.  They  had  a  few  followers  in- 
deed, but  that  was  all.  Their  lives  conflicted  much  with 
their  teaching.  Amid  the  prevailing  confusion  they  sought 
comfort  and  hope  from  the  Sibilline  Books,  which  announced 
that  one  day  man  would  rise  to  a  higher  and  holier  state, 
and  return  to  the  early  age  of  happy  innocence.  Virgil 
announced  the  approach  of  it,  but  the  prophetic  words  of 
Cicero  were  most  remarkable:  ''There  shall  be  no  longer 
one  law  at  Rome,  and  another  at  Athens,  nor  shall  it  pre- 
scribe one  thing  today,  and  another  tomorrow,  but  one  and 
the  same  law  eternal  and  immutable,  shall  be  prescribed 
for  all  nations  and  times,  and  the  god  who  shall  prescribe, 
introduce  and  promulgate  this  law,  shall  be  one  and 
supreme." 

To  sum  up,  we  may  say  that  the  Pagan  nations  of  anti- 
quity gradually  lost  the  knowledge  of  a  personal  god,  and 
fell  into  the  most  degrading  idolatry.  With  this  belief  gone, 
the  foundation  of  morality  was  snapped  asunder.  The 
lowest  vices  were  stamped  with  the  seal  of  religion.  The 
temples  of  the  gods  were  the  scenes  of  unbridled  lusts,  and 
immorality  of  the  worst  type  formed  the  essence  of  the 
heathen  religion.  Cruelty,  its  inseparable  companion,  show- 
ed itself  everywhere;  in  the  endless  bloody  wars,  in  slavery, 
in  the  degraded  condition  of  woman,  in  the  strangling  of 
cripples,  in  the  bloody  contests  of  the  gladiators,  and  in  the 
so-called  rights  which  parents  claimed  over  their  offspring. 

In  answer  to  all  this,  the  rationalists  may  say  perhaps, 
the  time  and  condition  of  the  human  race  were  the  causes, 
anil  if  a  revelation  had  Ix-en  given  they  would  have  been  no 
letter  off;  these  same  errors  and  vices  would  have  prevailed. 

A  complete  answer  to  the  objections  is  found  in  the 
history  of  the  Jewish  people.  This  people,  right  in  the  very 
midst  of  the  (Jentile  world,  surrounded  by  them  on  all  sid;  s. 


POSSIBILITY    AND   NECESSITY   OF   REVELATION          29 

through  a  supernatural  religion,  retained  the  knowledge 
of  the  one  true  God,  a  belief  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
a  belief  in  the  future  life  of  reward  and  punishment.  Life 
was  held  sacred  by  the  Jews;  the  sanctity  of  the  home  was 
guarded  and  respected;  purity  was  taught;  authority  was 
respected ;  and  justice  and  truth  were  praised  and  practiced. 

Again,  the  rationalists  may  say:  Are  there  not  many 
infidels  of  the  present  day  who  believe  in  and  practice  the 
truths  of  natural  religion?  I  answer  that  I  believe  there 
are  a  few ;  but  it  is  owing  to  their  Christian  education,  or  to 
their  living  in  a  Christian  community;  not  from  infidelity, 
but  from  Christianity  have  they  derived  their  principles  of 
right  living.  In  confirmation,  I  ask  you  what  do  the  lead- 
ing rationalistic  scholars  of  the  day  teach?  Hume  and 
Boyle  teach  skepticism;  Spinoza,  Fichte,  Schelling,  Heggel, 
and  Vocherot,  teach  Pantheism ;  Kante  teaches  subjectivism ; 
and  Buchner,  Huxley,  Spencer,  and  Fouille,  teach  Agnos- 
ticism. 

In  conclusion,  to  show  that  it  was  not  due  to  the  want 
of  culture  that  these  nations  erred  so  egregiously  on  moral 
and  intellectual  subjects,  I  place  before  your  consideration 
one  eloquent  fact ;  it  was  the  Pagan  nations  that  have  given 
to  the  world  the  greatest  law-givers,  generals,  orators, 
poets,  philosophers  and  artists!  To  these  nations  belonged 
Solon  and  Lycurgus,  Hannibal  and  Caesar,  Demosthenes  and 
Cicero,  Homer  and  Virgil,  Aristotle  and  Socrates!  It  was 
during  this  period,  and  among  these  people  that  Apollo, 
Diana  and  Yenus  were  conceived  and  brought  forth ! 


THE  COCKLE  AND  THE  WHEAT. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — When  our  divine  Lord  spoke  the 
parable  which  constitutes  today's  Gospel,  He  was  standing 
on  the  historical  shores  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  A  great  crowd 
had  come  out  from  the  city  of  Capharnaum,  and  were  eager- 
ly awaiting  such  time  as  the  great  Teacher  and.  Master  would 
begin  to  speak.  A  boat  was  drawn  up  on  the  shore,  and 
into  this  boat  Christ  entered,  and  seated  himself.  Back  over 
the  heads  of  the  people  were  smooth  fields,  sloping  towards 
the  water's  edge.  They  were  covered  with  green  grass;  but 
running  through  them  were  beaten  winding  paths,  and  here 
and  there  were  huge  rocks  and  clumps  of  cactus-like  thistles. 
Sitting  then,  as  was  His  custom,  with  this  great  throng 
of  people  around  Him,  Christ  stretched  forth  His  divine 
hands  and  began  to  speak. 

He  first  compared  His  kingdom  to  a  vast  field,  which 
contains  different  kinds  of  soil,  the  Word  of  God  to  the 
seed,  and  Himself  to  the  sower.  That  which  fell  by  the 
wayside  was  picked  up  by  the  birds;  that  which  fell  among 
thorns  was  choked;  that  which  fell  on  stony  ground  was 
soon  scorched  by  the  sun;  and  that  which  fell  upon  the 
good  ground  brought  forth  various  folds  of  fruit.  After 
explaining  that  parable,  He  spoke  another,  and  it  is  the 
one  which  I  have  just  read.  He  spoke  it  to  teach  us  that 
the  good,  and  the  bad  will  always  be  found  within  His 
Church,  that  the  Church  will  be  persecuted  to  the  end,  and 
that  such  must  needs  be  for  the  sake  of  the  elect. 

"The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  to  a  man  who  sowed 
good  seed  in  his  field.  But,  while  the  men  were  asleep  his 
enemy  came  and  sowed  cockle  among  the  wheat,  and  went 
away.  When  the  blade  sprang  up  and  brought  forth  fruit, 
then  appeared  also  the  cockle." 

My  brethren,  this  picture  was  a  very  familiar  one  to 
those  Eastern  people.  Savage  feuds  were  common  occur- 
30 


THB  COCKLE  AND  THE  WHEAT  31 

rences  among  them,  and  often  split  up  families,  and  whole 
tribes.  The  weaker  foe,  because  he  was  weak,  could  not 
have  recourse  to  open  attack,  but  must  resort  to  trickery 
and  treachery.  Hence  often  at  night,  under  the  cover  of 
darkness,  we  find  him  creeping  into  the  fields  of  his  enemy 
and  sowing  cockle  among  the  wheat.  Cockle  is  a  species  of 
grass  containing  intoxicating  properties,  is  poisonous,  and 
much  resembles  wheat,  as  long  as  the  ear  is  unformed.  It 
therefore  could  not  be  very  easily  detected  until  the  wheat 
was  almost  ripe. 

The  devil  is  the  eternal  enemy  of  God,  and  after  the 
precepts  of  the  Gospel  have  been  implanted  within  our 
souls  by  the  Almighty,  when  the  pastors  of  the  Church  are 
off  their  guard,  and  the  faithful  are  indolent,  he  comes  and 
plants  likewise  within  our  souls  the  cockle  of  evil  and 
wickedness.  God  loves  the  light,  and  always  works  in  the 
light,  but  the  devil  loves  the  darkness,  and  always  works 
in  the  darkness. 

"And  the  servants  of  the  householder  came  and  said 
to  him:  'Sir,  didst  thou  not  sow  good  seed  in  thy  field? 
Whence  then  hath  it  cockle?'  And  he  said  to  them:  'An 
enemy  hath  done  this.'  And  the  servants  said  to  him :  'Wilt 
thou,  that  we  go  and  gather  it  up  ?'  And  he  said :  'No,  lest 
in  gathering  up  the  cockle  ye  root  up  the  wheat  also  with 
it.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest,  and  in  the 
time  of  the  harvest,  I  will  say  to  the  reapers:  'Gather  up 
first  the  cockle  and  bind  it  in  bundles  to  burn,  but  the  wheat 
gather  into  my  barn.' " 

My  brethren,  the  servants  of  the  master  were  not  aware 
of  the  quarrel,  and  were  surprised  when  they  found  the 
cockle  among  the  wheat.  And  not  being  skilled  in  hus- 
bandry, they  were  for  pulling  up  immediately  the  cockle. 
But  the  master  is  experienced,  and  he  knows  that  it  is  next 
to  impossible  to  uproot  the  cockle,  without  destroying  at 
the  same  time  much  of  the  wheat.  He  knows  that  the  only 
reasonable  thing  to  do  is  to  wait  till  the  harvest  time,  un- 
til the  wheat  has  become  ripe,  when  it  can  be  easily  distin- 
guished from  the  cockle,  then  make  the  separation.  And 
he  says  to  the  servants,  just  wait  until  the  harvest  time,  and 
when  the  fields  have  been  mowed,  I  shall  order  the  reapers 


32  THE  COCKLE  AND  THE  WHEAT 

to  make  the  separation,  and  to  burn  the  cockle,  and  to  put 
the  wheat  into  the  barn. 

Let  us  now  apply  this  part  of  the  parable:  Whom  do 
these  servants  signify?  St.  Jerome,  the  greatest  Scriptural 
scholar  understands  them  to  be  angels.  But  St.  Augustine 
thinks  that  they  signify  men,  especially  those  over  zealous, 
but  not  too  wise  members  of  the  Church.  We  shall  accept 
the  second  interpretation  as  being  the  most  practical  at 
least. 

My  brethren,  is  it  not  a  fact  that  some  over  zealous 
Christians  would  like  to  drive  out  of  the  Church  all  sin- 
ners— at  least  confirmed  and  habitual  sinners?  They  would 
tolerate  within  the  Church,  none  but  the  good,  forgetting 
at  the  same  time,  -that  they  once  were  sinners.  What  if 
the  separation  had  taken  place  when  they  were  found,  not 
among  the  saints,  but  among  the  sinners?  Some  of  the 
greatest  sinners  have  become  the  greatest  saints.  Could 
there  have  been  greater  sinners  that  St.  Mary  Magdalene 
and  St.  Augustine?  Yet,  who  are  greater  in  the  catalogue 
of  the  saints?  Sinners  are  a  lesson  and  a  warning  to  the 
saints?  Without  sinners  in  the  Church  where  would  we 
find  the  occasions  for  works  of  zeal?  We  must  not  forget 
that  Christ  came  to  call  sinners,  and  not  the  just  to  repent- 
ance; that  He  left  the  ninety-nine  sheep  to  go  after  the  one 
that  was  lost;  and  that  there  is  more  joy  in  heaven  over  one 
sinner  that  doth  penance,  than  over  ninety-nine  just  that 
need  not  penance. 

Some  over  zealous  pastors  and  lay  Christians  too,  would 
wish  to  draw  the  sword  against  all  the  persecutors  of  the 
Church,  seemingly  forgetting  that  God  could,  if  He  so 
willed,  send  ten  thousand  angels  from  heaven  to  fight  His 
battles,  and  against  Whom  the  whole  world  would  be  pow- 
erless. Let  us  ever  remember  the  words  of  Christ  to  St. 
Peter,  who  drew  his  sword  and  cut  off  the  ear  of  the  ser- 
vant of  Malchus,  because  he  struck  our  divine  Lord  in  the 
face:  "He  that  taketh  up  the  sword,  will  perish  by  the 
sword."  God  permits  persecutions,  and  draws  out  of  them 
good.  Persecution  drives  out  of  the  Church  traitors.  Per- 
secution arouses  to  action  the  half  hearted  Catholic.  Per- 
secution even  serves  to  strengthen  the  faith  of  the  strong. 


THE  COCKLE  AND  THE  WHEAT  33 

It  is  only  when  the  country  is  attacked  that  we  find  out  the 
traitors,  and  the  true  patriots.  It  is  war  that  makes  the 
general.  It  is  in  combat  that  we  gain  strength.  The  storm 
drives  deeper  into  mother  earth  the  roots  of  the  trees.  The 
blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the  seed  of  the  Church. 

My  brethren,  let  us  never  be  scandalized  when  we  see 
sinners  within  the  bosom  of  the  Church.  Good  and  evil  must 
and  will  exist  together  until  the  final  separation.  It  was 
the  mission  of  Christ,  and  it  is  the  mission  of  His  Church 
to  turn  sinners  from  their  evil  ways,  to  keep  the  just  from 
falling,  and  to  make  the  holy,  holier.  Where  there  is  much 
wickedness  you  will  find  invariably  much  goodness.  It 
seems  to  be  a  universal  law  that  extremes  are  found  to- 
gether. And,  if  there  were  no  darkness  we  would  not  ap- 
preciate the  light.  If  there  were  no  storms,  we  would  not 
appreciate  the  sunshine.  Without  the  cross  we  could  not 
appreciate  the  value  of  the  crown.  Instead  of  being  scan- 
dalized let  us  set  about  to  work  for  their  conversion,  and 
take  heed  lest  we  ourselves  fall.  God  oftentimes  punishes 
the  over-captious  and  critical  by  allowing  them  to  fall  into 
the  very  faults  which  they  too  severely  censured  in  their 
neighbors.  We  are  all  walking  on  slippery  ground.  It  is 
only  God's  grace  that  keeps  us  from  falling;  for  as  St. 
Augustine  truly  said:  "There  is  no  sin  in  the  Decalogue 
that  he  could  not  commit,  if  God's  grace  did  not  forestall 
him."  Besides,  even  in  the  lives  of  the  best  there  are  many 
imperfections  and  minor  faults. 

When  persecutions  arise,  let  us  not  grow  timid  or  fear- 
ful. The  Church  has  been  founded  by  Christ  to  do  His 
work  until  the  end  of  time.  He  is  with  the  Church,  and 
His  Spirit  guides,  directs  and  sustains  her.  He  built  her 
upon  a  rock,  and  the  gates  of  hell  will  never  prevail  against 
her.  She  has  been  persecuted  in  every  age,  and  she  has  over- 
come them  all.  The  powerful  ones  of  this  earth  have  risen 
up  against  her,  but  they  all  found  their  St.  Helena.  Out  of 
every  struggle  she  has  come  forth  victorious,  stronger, 
purer,  younger  and  more  vigorous.  Christ  is  only  sleeping 
in  Peter's  bark  to  try  our  faith,  and  when  the  clouds  are 
blackest,  the  storm  fiercest,  and  the  boat  is  about  ready  to 


34  THE  COCKLE  AND  THE  WHEAT 

sink,  He  rises  up  and  says :  "Peace,  be  still !"•    And  a  great 
calm  ensues. 

But,  my  brethren,  let  us  fear  and  tremble  at  the  thought 
of  the  final  separation,  when  God  will  weed  out  of  His 
kingdom,  all  evil.  Have  we  not  allowed  the  devil  to  plant 
his  cockle  among  God's  wheat?  Bad  and  wicked  thoughts 
are  the  cockle,  and  the  fruit  is  all  kinds  of  sin  and  evil.  At 
the  end  of  the  world  after  Christ  has  been  wafted  to  this 
earth  in  great  power  and  majesty,  and  we  have  been  assemb- 
led in  the  valley  of  Jehosaphat,  He  will  say  to  His  angels: 
"Place  the  good  on  My  right,  and  the  wicked  on  My  left 
hand" ;  and  to  the  former  He  will  say :  "Come,  ye  blessed  of 
My  Father,  and  possess  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world" ;  and  to  the  latter,  He  will 
say :  "Depart  from  Me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels." 


THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION    SATISFIES    THE    DE- 
MANDS OF  REASON,  AND  THE  ASPIRATIONS 
OF  THE  SOUL. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VAV 
BEFORE  THE  HOLY  NAME  SOCIETY. 

Dear  Members  of  the  Holy  Name  Society : — In  our 
first  discourse  on  "Revelation",  we  showed,  first,  that 
a  supernatural  religion  is  possible,  because  it  is  conson- 
ant to  the  nature  of  God  and  man;  and  secondly,  that  it 
is  necessary,  because  without  it  man  cannot  know  the  truths 
of  even  natural  religion  clearly,  and  with  certainty.  To- 
night we  begin  to  prove  the  actual  existence  of  a  supernat- 
ural religion. 

There  are  two  ways  of  doing  this:  first,  by  showing 
that  miracles  are  the  criterion  of  Revelation,  and  that  they 
have  been  worked  in  favor  of  a  supernatural  religion;  and 
secondly,  by  the  study  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  relig- 
ion showing  their .  superior  excellence.  Now,  we  intend  to 
begin  with  the  latter  method  first,  and  show  that  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  religion  are  most  comformable  to 
reason,  and  answer  its  legitimate  aspirations. 

You  will  readily  see  that  this  is  a  big  subject,  and 
cannot  be  done  justice  in  one  evening's  discourse.  Tonight 
we  shall  confine  ourselves,  therefore,  to  the  question, — "The 
Christian  Religion  Satisfies  the  Demands  of  Reason,  and  the 
Aspirations  of  the  Soul." 

There  are  four  questions  which  have  ever  engaged  the 
attention  of  man.  The  illiterate  as  well  as  the  wise  man, 
has  ever  been  anxious  to  know  about  the  existence  of  a 
Supreme  Cause,  about  the  origin  of  the  world,  about  the 
origin  and  nature  of  man,  and  about  man's  last  end,  and 
how  he  is  to  reach  it.  As  soon  as  reason  begins  to  open 
these  questions  spontaneously,  as  it  were,  force  themselves 
upon  our  minds,  and  will  not  quit  us  until  we  answer  them. 
We  may  drive  them  out  and  banish  them  for  a  time,  but 

35 


36           THE     CHRISTIAN     SATISFIES    THE    DEMANDS 

they  will  come  back,  and  press  for  a  solution.  I  appeal 
to  the  personal  experience  of  each  for  a  confirmation  of 
this  assertion. 

The  Christian  religion  gives  no  uncertain  answer  to 
these  inquiries  of  the  soul.  The  Christian  religion  tells  us 
emphatically  that  the  supreme  cause  of  all  things  is  God; 
and  that  this  God  is  one,  true  and  living,  the  Creator  of 
the  heavens  and  the  earth;  that  He  is  omnipotent,  eternal, 
immense,  incomprehensible  and  infinite  in  all  His  attri- 
butes; that,  although  he  is  in  all  things,  and  through  all 
things,  and  back  of  all  things,  He  is  distinct  from  the  world 
and  creatures;  and  that  He  is  independent  and  sovereign, 
most  blessed  in  Himself  and  of  Himself.  And  by  teaching 
the  mystery  of  the  Trinity,  it  explains  rationally  how  God 
lives  within  Himself  and  suffices  for  His  own  beatitude. 

The  Christian  religion  tells  us  not  only  about  the  origin 
of  the  world,  but  about  its  end,  and  how  it  is  directed  by 
Divine  Providence  towards  that  end.  It  teaches  us  that 
the  one  true  God  by  the  most  free  act  of  His  will,  drew  the 
world  out  of  nothing;  that  He  was  moved  to  this,  simply  by 
His  infinite  goodness,  and  not  to  increase  His  happiness, 
but  to  manifest  externally  His  glory;  and  that  He  directs 
and  governs  the  world  strongly,  but  sweetl}',  bringing  good 
out  of  evil,  ordering  all  things  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end,  for  the  accomplishment  of  His  purposes.  In  these  few 
words  we  have  truths  which  the  wisest  philosophers  of 
antiquity  attempted  in  vain  to  discover.  No  philosopher 
before  the  time  of  Christ  taught  the  doctrine  of  creation; 
and  no  philosopher  before  the  time  of  Christ,  so  much  as 
dreamt  of  the  paternal  providence  of  God.  Aristotle,  in 
whom  unaided  reason  reached  its  summit,  taught  that  all 
things  were  fixed  and  unchangeable. 

The  Christian  religion  tells  us  that  we  are  all  descended 
from  Adam  and  Eve.  It  teaches  us  that  man  is  composed 
of  body  and  soul;  that  the  soul  is  spiritual,  free  and  im- 
mortal; that  there  are  two  laws  in  us,  the  superior,  and 
the  inferior;  that  the  former  is  ever  urging  us  upward  to 
the  love  of  the  true,  the  beautiful,  and  the  good,  whilst  the 
latter  is  constantly  dragging  us  downward  to  the  low,  the 
sensual,  and  the  base.  It  teaches  us  that  this  was  not  the 


OP  REASON  AND  THE  ASPIRATIONS  OF  THE  SOUL        37 

primitive  condition  of  man,  but  is  the  effect  of  a  fall  from  a 
higher  state.  It  teaches  us  that  God,  in  order  that  man 
should  not  despair,  sent  into  the  world,  His  Son,  whose 
suffering  in  the  flesh  redeemed  us  from  the  servitude  of  sin 
and  merited  grace,  by  which  we  could  live  pious  lives,  and 
reach  our  final  end — God. 

In  the  mysteries  of  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption, 
reason  can  see  how  an  offended,  infinite  being  can  be  ap- 
peased, and  sin  forgiven.  Christ  suffers  in  the  human 
nature,  and  on  account  of  its  being  united  to  the  divine, 
in  the  person  of  the  Word,  the  sufferings  have  an  infinite 
value.  Thus  infinite  justice  and  mercy  meet  and  kiss,  and 
reason  learns  the  solution  of  a  question  which  before  it  was 
powerless  to  solve.  And  finally,  the  Christian  religion  tells 
us  that  there  is  a  future  life  of  reward  and  punishment,  and 
that  it  is  eternal.  This  truth  is  the  fulcrum  of  the  ethical 
world.  Without  it  civil  society  could  not  exist.  Evil  would 
flourish,  and  good  would  disappear  from  the  face  of  the 
earth.  It  is  this  truth  which  curbs  the  passions  of  man,  and 
leads  him  on  to  virtue  and  holiness.  Do  not  attempt  to  tell  a 
man  of  experience,  that  the  love  of  goodness  and  virtue  for 
their  own  sake,  can  take  its  place.  That  principle  cannot 
bridle  the  passions  of  sensuality,  covetousness  and  revenge. 
You,  who  live  in  luxury  and  refinement,  and  have  all  your 
wants  and  desires  satisfied,  might  preach  it  to  your  likes. 
But  I  tell  you,  you  dare  not  preach  it  to  the  strong  lusty 
man,  when  under  powerful  sensual  temptations;  you  dare 
not  preach  it  to  the  poor  man  living  in  a  hovel,  when  you 
live  next  door  in  a  palace;  you  dare  not  preach  it  to  your 
subject  when  smarting  under  severe  chastisement.  It  is  a 
child's  play-house  which  will  topple  over  at  the  first  gush 
of  strong  temptation. 

The  school  of  Christianity  is  free  from  all  philosophical 
errors,  whilst  outside  her,  the  most  absurd  errors  flourish. 
Her  skirts  have  been  kept  clean  of  the  errors  of  the  eternity 
of  matter,  dualism,  polytheism,  pantheism,  fatalism,  etc. 
Against  such  aberrations  she  has  declared  her  anathemas. 
If  some  absurd  doctrines  are  attributed  to  her,  it  conies  from 
a  false  interpretation  of  her  creed.  Thus  do  her  enemies 
attribute  absurd  doctrines  to  her,  by  interpreting  wrongly 


38        THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION  SATISFIES  THE  DEMANDS 

her  teaching  on  the  Trinity,  Original  Sin,  the  Incarnation, 
and  the  Redemption.  We  are  reported  as  teaching  that 
God  is  one  and  three  under  the  same  aspect,  whereas,  the 
true  doctrine  declares  that  God  is  one  in  nature,  and  three 
in  person.  We  are  reported  as  teaching,  that  original  sin 
is  a  voluntary  act  of  the  sinner,  depriving  man  of  the  owed 
gifts  of  nature,  whereas,  the  true  doctrine  declares  that  it 
is  not  a  personal  fault,  but  a  state  inherited  from  our  first 
parents,  and  which  deprives  us  of  the  original  justice  in 
which  they  were .  first  constituted.  We  are  reported  as 
teaching  the  mixture  of  the  divine  and  human  natures  in 
the  Incarnation,  whereas,  the  true  doctrine  declares  dis- 
tinctly that  each  nature  remains  intact  and  whole  after  the 
union.  And  finally,  we  are  reported  as  teaching  that  man 
is  justified  without  any  change  of  heart,  whereas,  the  true 
doctrine  declares  that  we  must  suffer  with  Christ,  and  do 
penance,  if  we  wish  to  reign  and  be  glorified  with  Him. 

Dear  members  of  the  Holy  Name  Society : — All  the  doc- 
trines of  Christianity  are  harmoniously  united.  There  is  no 
conflict,  no  clash  among  them.  One  naturally  flows  from 
the  other.  This  unity  is  so  remarkable  that  you  cannot  deny 
one  without  denying  others.  Thus  for  example,  the  Incar- 
nation and  Justification  follow  so  closely  and  logically  from 
the  Trinity  that  if  we  deny  the  Trinity,  the  Incarnation 
falls,  and  Justification  loses  its  force  and  reality.  The  unity 
among  the  doctrines  has  been  so  admirable  that  heretics 
have  never  denied  a  single  doctrine  of  consequence,  without 
attacking  the  whole  body  of  revealed  truths.  This  so  ^hap- 
pened in  the  history  of  Arianism,  Pelagianism  and  Nestorian- 
ism.  Moreover,  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  religion  are 
summed  up  in  and  recapitulated  in  the  mystery  of  the  Re- 
demption, for  it  supposes  first,  the  Trinity,  since  it  is  the 
effect  of  the  advent  of  the  Son  of  God,  Who  took  flesh 
through  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  satisfy  the  Father ; 
and  it  supposes  original  sin  which  it  is  intended  to  repair. 
From  it  follows  Justification,  by  which  the  fruits  of  the 
Redemption  are  applied  to  sinners;  from  it  flow  the  Sacra- 
ments, through  which  graces  merited  by  Christ  are  dis- 
pensed to  souls;  and,  from  it  follows  the  glorification  of 
body  and  soul,  to  which  it  ultimately  tends.  Nay,  all  the 


OF  REASON  AND  THE  ASPIRATIONS  OF  THE  SOUL        39 

precepts  of  the  Decalogue  flow  logically  from  the  Trinity 
and  Redemption ;  for  all  of  them  may  be  reduced  to  two,  the 
love  of  God,  and  neighbor;  and  this  double  love  springs 
from  the  contemplation  of  the  infinite  perfections  which 
shine  forth  in  the  Trinity,  and  also  from  the  consideration 
of  the  benefits  which  accrue  from  the  Redemption. 

The  truths  of  the  Christian  religion,  by  their  depth  sat- 
isfy the  greatest  intellects,  and  by  their  simplicity  are  aptly 
suited  to  the  capacity  of  the  uneducated.  The  truths  of 
Christianity  are  so  profound  and  broad,  that  they  supply 
inexhaustible  matter  for  the  investigation  of  the  learned. 
Need  I  tell  you  that  for  nineteen  centuries  theologians  have 
been  delving  into  the  doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  Incarnation, 
Redemption  and  Grace,  and  have  not  yet  exhausted  them. 
Need  I  tell  you,  that  by  a  comparison  of  the  doctrines  among 
themselves,  and  with  the  principles  of  reason,  theologians 
have  deduced,  and  are  deducing,  many  new  conclusions 
which  have  enlarged,  and  are  enlarging  the  field  of  theology ; 
and  still  they  have  not  exhausted  the  truths  of  Christianity. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  truths  of  the  Christian  religion 
are  so  simple  that  in  a  few  words  they  can  be  put  into  a 
symbol,  which  by  a  little  study  can  be  mastered  even  by 
children.  In  Catholic  catechisms  the  most  sublime  truths 
are  learned  by  the  little  ones— truths  which  the  greatest 
Pagan  philosophers  were  ignorant  of.  Hence  Christianity 
satisfies  the  learned  and  the  unlearned;  the  former  sees  in 
it  an  inexhaustible  source  of  knowledge,  and  the  latter  a 
simple  answer  to  the  simple  inquiries  of  the  soul. 

The  Christian  religion  presents  the  most  perfect  code 
of  ethics.  In  order  that  such  a  code  may  be  safe,  sound,  and 
complete,  it  must  comprise  three  things:  namely,  our  offices 
and  duties  toward  God,  toward  our  neighbor  and  toward 
ourselves.  Now  Christianity  teaches  that  these  flow  from 
the  love  of  God.  When  Christ  was  asked  by  the  doctor  what 
was  the  greatest  commandment  i>f  the  Law,  He  answered: 
"Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord,  thy  God,  with  thy  whole  heart, 
with  thy  whole  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind."  This  is  the 
greatest  and  the  first  commandment.  And  the  second  is 
like  to  this:  "Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  Upon 
these  two  commandments  depend  the  whole  law  and  the 


40        THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION  SATISFIES  THE  DEMANDS 

prophets.  A  simpler,  a  nobler,  and  a  more  perfect  founda- 
tion for  ethics  has  never  been  discovered.  From  it  flow 
our  duties  toward  God,  neighbor  and  self.  If  we  love  God 
above  all  things,  we  shall  freely  acknowledge  His  supreme 
dominion  and  worship  Him,  not  with  the  chilling,  freezing 
worship  of  the  rationalists,  nor  with  the  impure  worship  of 
the  Pagans,  but  with  a  fervent,  burning,  chaste  worship, 
which  will  draw  us  to  the  imitation  of  the  divine  perfections. 
"Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  as  your  heavenly  Father  is  per- 
fect;" such  words  beget  in  us  a  fear,  not  servile,  but  filial, 
and  an  obedience  and  devotion  which  will  move  us  to  for- 
sake our  own  glory  and  interest  to  promote  that  of  God's. 

This  love  of  neighbor  as  self,  is  not  restricted  to  rela- 
tions, friends  and  countrymen,  but  embraces  the  human 
race ;  the  Greek  and  the  Barbarian,  the  Jew  and  the  Gentile, 
the  slave  and  the  free  man,  for  all  have  been  redeemed  by 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  and  are  called  to  Immortality. 
To  this  Christian  principle  must  be  traced  that  love  of  ene- 
mies which  prevails  in  many  places,  and  to  it  must  be  traced 
the  poor  houses,  the  orphan  asylums,  the  reformatories,  the 
homes  for  the  aged,  the  maimed  and  the  lame. 

Christianity  teaches  man  to  acknowledge  his  own  dig- 
nity. It  admonishes  him  to  put  aside  the  works  of  dark- 
ness, and  put  on  the  new  man,  Christ.  It  teaches  him  that 
if  he  wishes  to  avoid  sin  he  must  moderate  his  desires  by 
temj)erance,  and  deny  himself,  even  in  lawful  things  in 
orc!er  to  overcome  the  unlawful.  It  teaches  him  to  respect 
and  reverence  his  soul  and  body,  for  they  are  the  temples 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  exhorts  him  to  practice  virtue,  to  be 
humble  without  being  cowardly,  to  be  obedient  without  be- 
ing servile,  to  be  perfectly  continent  and  to  consecrate  his 
life  to  the  service  of  God,  and  his  neighbor. 

The  Christian  religion  not  only  tells  man  to  keep  the 
law.  but  it  also  offers  him  the  means.  First,  it  places  be- 
fore him  a  perfect  exemplar  in  Christ,  who  began  to  do  and 
to  leach,  and  whom  the  rationalists  admit  to  have  been 
the  most  perfect  man  that  ever  walked  the  earth.  Rightly 
He  could  say  to  His  disciples:  "Whatsoever  I  have  done,  do 
you  also."  We  know  the  power  of  example — "WTords  move", 
as  the  philosopher  says:  "but  examples  draw".  Secondly, 


OF  REASON  AND  THE  ASPIRATIONS  OF  THE  SOUL        41 

it  gives  an  efficacious  sanction  to  the  law.  During  this  life  it 
offers  to  the  just,  even  amidst  many  tribulations  and 
crosses,  peace  and  joy  of  conscience,  and  it  promises  them 
an  eternal  recompense  in  the  next  world :  "Every  one",  says 
Christ,  "that  hath  left  home,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or 
father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  My 
name's  sake,  shall  receive  an  hundred  fold,  and  shall  possess 
life  everlasting."  And  thirdly,  it  gives  the  necessary  strength 
to  keep  the  law.  To  fulfill  that  which  is  above  our  natural 
powers,  grace  is  freely  given,  and  to  those  who  are  weak 
by  nature  to  do  even  the  things  of  nature,  sufficient  grace  is 
given:  "I  can  do  all  things",  says  St.  Paul,  "in  Him  Who 
strengthened  me." 

Dear  Members  of  the  Holy  Name  Society,  the  Christian 
religion  answers  all  the  demands  of  the  sensitive  faculties. 
By  its  sacrificial  act  of  worship,  it  satisfies  the  demand  for 
external  worship.  Today,  and  during  nineteen  hundred 
years,  all  over  the  world,  there  is,  and  has  been,  renewed 
on  Catholic  altars  in  a  most  solemn  and  unbloody  manner, 
the  Sacrifice  of  the  Cross.  Nothing  can  be  more  excellent 
than  this  rite.  In  it  we  have  prayers  and  ceremonies,  songs 
and  divine  readings,  which  excite  and  stir  up  pious  feelings 
conducive  to  true  holiness.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
Sacraments,  and  of  the  Sacramentals ;  our  feast  days  suc- 
ceeding one  another  in  wonderful  order,  bring  before  our 
minds  and  represent  sensibly  the  mysteries  of  faith. 

The  Christian  religion  satisfies  the  demand  for  comfort 
and  solace.  Reason  cannot  conceive  why  God  who  is  infin- 
ite goodness,  permits  man  whom  He  loves  to  be  subject  to 
so  many  evils.  But  Christian  faith  says  why.  It  tells 
man  that  the  miseries  of  life  are  the  punishments  of  sin,  are 
necessary  for  his  probation,  for  his  virtue,  for  the  increase 
of  his  reward,  and  that  they  offer  a  most  safe  way  to  eternal 
happiness.  Hence  we  are  glorified  in  our  tribulations,  know- 
ing that  if  we  suffer  with  Christ,  we  shall  be  glorified  with 
Him,  that  if  we  are  separated  from  our  dear  friends  for  a 
while,  we  shall  be  united  to  them  eternally  in  Heaven. 

The  Christian  religion  satisfies  the  demands  of  the 
sensitive  faculties  by  sanctioning  human  activity  and  in- 
culcating the  law  of  labor:  "In  the  sweat  of  thy  brow  thou 


42  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION  SATISFIES  THE  DEMANDS,  ETC. 

shalt  eat  thy  bread."  The  Christian  religion  fosters  the  arts 
and  sciences,  because  they  promote  the  glory  of  God,  and 
the  good  of  man;  she  cherishes  commerce  and  industry,  be- 
cause they  alleviate  the  necessities  of  the  indigent,  and 
spread  Christian  charity.  In  a  word,  whatever  is  good,  true, 
beautiful,  holy,  just  and  merciful,  Christianity  cherishes, 
fosters  and  promotes,  because  they  advance  the  kingdom  of 
God  in  the  hearts  of  men. 


SERMON  ON  CATHOLIC  FAITH. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — The  parable,  which  constitutes  to- 
day's Gospel  was  spoken  by  our  Divine  Lord  during  the 
third  year  of  His  public  ministry,  in  a  quiet  and  secluded 
part  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  spoken  directly  to 
the  man  to  whom  He  had  restored  sight,  and  was  intended 
to  comfort  him,  because  he  had  been  put  out  of  the  Syna- 
gogue on  account  of  his  honesty  and  sincerity. 

And  after  he  had  been  healed  by  Christ,  he  was  ques- 
tioned concerning  this  great  miracle,  and  he  answered  their 
inquiries,  by  saying:  "I  was  born  blind;  that  man  whom 
they  call  Jesus  made  clay,  anointed  my  eyes  with  it,  and 
told  me  to  go  and  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloe.  I  went;  I 
washed,  and  I  see."  And  when  they  further  questioned  him 
to  try  to  make  him  contradict  himself  he  said :  "I  have  ex- 
plained it  to  you,  and  you  have  heard  it.  Why  do  you  want 
to  hear  it  again?  Do  you  too  wish  to  become  His  dis- 
ciples?" Smarting  under  this  irony,  they  began  to  load  him 
with  taunts.  Instead  of  quieting  him,  they  made  him  bold- 
er, and  he  finally  said:  "It  was  never  yet  heard  that  any 
one  opened  the  eyes  of  a  man  born  blind.  So  if  He  were 
not  from  God,  He  could  do  nothing." 

At  these  words  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  became  en- 
raged, and  they  cried  out:  ''You  are  nothing  but  a  mass  of 
sins,  and  do  you  propose  to  teach  us?"  Then  it  was  that 
our  Divine  Lord  sought  out  the  man  and  worked  a  still 
greater  miracle.  He  opened  the  eyes  of  his  soul;  he  be- 
stowed upon  him  the  gift  of  faith ;  and  afterwards  spoke 
the  parable  to  comfort  and  console  him. 

My  brethren,  this  similitude  of  the  sheep  fold  was  a 
figure  very  familiar  to  the  Jews.  Even  at  the  present  day, 
in  those  Eastern  countries,  it  presents  the  same  general 
characteristics. 

At  nightfall,  the  shepherd  gathers  his  fleecy  flock  be- 
hind some  encircling  wall  which  is  crowned  with  clumps  of 
thorn  bushes.  On  the  outside,  under  the  shadow  of  the 
wall  there  lurk  various  foes.  The  wolf  prowls  about,  the 

43 


44  SERMON  ON  CATHOLIC  FAITH 

panther  leaps  around,  and  the  robber  finding  the  gate  fast 
barred,  climbs  up  and  creeps  along  the  wall.  But  the  shep- 
herd is  watching,  and  wards  off  all  danger.  And  at  the 
dawn  of  the  morning  he  takes  up  his  crooked  staff,  and 
leads  the  sheep  out  of  the  fortress.  One  by  one  he  counts 
his  fleecy  charge,  and  leads  the  way  into  fresh  pastures. 
Every  now  and  again  he  utters  a  shrill  cry,  and  the  scattered 
sheep  huddle  together  at  his  feet.  But  let  the  voice  of  a 
stranger  be  heard,  and  instantly  the  sheep  stop  grazing, 
raise  their  affrighted  heads,  and  scamper  away,  for  they 
know  not  the  voice  of  the  stranger. 

My  Brethren:  As  the  gospel  is  not  lengthy,  let  us 
take  it  up,  sentence  by  sentence.  "I  am  the  good  shep- 
herd. The  good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  his  sheep." 
Our  Divine  Lord  here  contrasts  Himself  with  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees,  mercenaries  who  come  like  wolves  and  rend 
and  tear  and  destroy  the  sheep.  Christ  is  the  good  shep- 
herd, who  was  promised  by  God,  revealed  by  Moses,  foretold 
by  the  Prophets,  and  destined  to  redeem  and  govern  the 
people.  Christ  the  good  shepherd,  did  literally  lay  down 
His  life  for  His  sheep.  And  the  pastors  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  in  every  age  have  been  ready,  and  have  laid  down 
their  lives  during  pestilence  and  persecution  for  their  flocks. 

"But  the  hireling,  and  he  that  is  not  the  shepherd, 
whose  own  the  sheep  are  not,  seeth  the  wolf  coming,  and 
leaveth  the  sheep  and  fleeth;  and  the  wolf  seizeth  and  scat- 
tereth  the  sheep."  Our  Divine  Lord  now  contrasts  Himself 
with  another  class  of  wicked  pastors — hirelings;  men  who 
care  for  the  flock  simply  with  the  view  of  gain.  And  when 
they  scent  any  kind  of  danger,  forsake  the  sheep,  leave  them 
to  their  fate,  and  take  safety  in  flight.  The  consequence  is 
in  so  far  as  they  are  concerned,  the  wolf  scatters  and  de- 
vours the  sheep. 

"And  the  hireling  fleeth,  because  he  is  a  hireling,  and 
hath  no  care  for  the  sheep."  Christ  gives  us  a  very  evident 
reason  why  the  hireling  fleeth ;  because  he  worketh  simply 
for  gain,  loveth  not  the  sheep,  has  no  care  for  their  welfare, 
and  only  renders  "quid  pro  quo"  a  service  equal  to  the 
money  paid.  This  was  particularly  true  of  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  whom  our  Lord  wishes  to  censure. 


SERMON  ON  CATHOLIC  FAITH  45 

"I  am  the  good  shepherd;  and  I  know  mine,  and  mine 
know  me."  Christ  here  applies  to  Himself  the  qualities  of 
a  good  shepherd.  He  knows  His  sheep;  He  can  call  them 
by  name;  and  His  knowledge  is  accompanied  by  love,  and 
beneficence.  The  sheep,  in  their  turn,  on  account  of  this 
knowledge  and  love,  know  Him,  believe  in  Him,  hope  in 
Him,  and  love  Him. 

"As  the  Father  knoweth  Me,  and  I  know  the  Father; 
and  I  lay  down  My  life  for  My  sheep."  Our  Divine  Lord 
wishes  to  teach  us  that  His  love  for  the  sheep,  and  their 
love  for  Him  is  like  unto  the  love,  which  exists  between  the 
Father  and  the  Son  of  the  Adorable  Trinity,  although  in- 
finitely inferior  to,  and  beneath  it.  The  divine  and  un- 
created love  is  the  source  and  origin  of  all  love.  The  Father 
desired  that  His  natural  and  uncreated  Son,  Jesus  Christ, 
should  love  His  adopted  sons,  men ;  who  in  their  turn  would 
faithfully  repay  such  love.  The  love  was  similar,  but  un- 
equal. The  second  clause  of  the  sentence  teaches  again  the 
quality  of  the  good  shepherd.  The  words — "I  lay  down  My 
life  for  My  sheep,"  are  immediately  connected  with  the  fol- 
lowing— "I  know  mine,  and  mine  know  Me,"  and  are  the 
consequence  of  it.  From  the  intimate  knowledge  springs 
the  love.  Christ  was  prepared  to  lay  down  His  life  for  His 
sheep,  which  He  did  shortly  afterwards. 

"And  other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold; 
them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  My  voice,  and 
there  shall  be  one  fold,  and  one  shepherd." 

These  words  refer  in  the  first  instance  to  the  Gentile 
world  in  contradistinction  to  the  Jewish  world,  to  which 
Christ  and  the  Apostles  first  went.  He  speaks  in  the 
present,  and  calls  them  already  His  sheep,  because  He  antic- 
ipated their  call,  and  foresaw  at  no  distant  time  their  en- 
trance into  the  kingdom.  "They  are  not  of  this  fold",  be- 
cause they  are  scattered  abroad,  and  have  no  place  wherein 
to  congregate  safely.  "Them  also  I  must  bring"  into  the 
fold  by  bestowing  upon  them  the  light  of  faith,  as  I  am 
constituted  by  My  Father  "the  light  to  enlighten  the  Gen- 
tiles". "And  they  shall  hear  My  voice,  and  there  shall  be 
one  fold,  and  one  shepherd."  The  two  peoples,  the  Jews 


46  SERMON  ON  CATHOLIC  FAITH 

and  the  Gentiles  are  to  enter  the  one  fold  founded  by  Christ, 
who  is  to  be  the  chief  shepherd.  And  all  other  shepherds 
are  to  be  dependent  upon  and  subordinate  to  Him.  Such, 
my  brethren,  is  a  running,  commentary  on  this  touching 
Gospel. 

Now  what  are  the  lessons?  The  first  lesson  I  would 
draw,  is  the  superiority  and  greatness  of  the  Catholic  faith. 
You  will  remember  the  occasion  of  the  parable.  The  young 
man  who  had  been  born  blind,  after  he  had  been  healed, 
on  account  of  his  honest  profession,  was  driven  publicly  out 
of  the  Synagogue.  Then  Christ  received  him  into  His 
kingdom,  conferred  upon  him  the  gift  of  faith,  and  spoke 
the  parable  to  comfort  him.  What  a  priceless  gift  is  Cath- 
olic faith!  To  know  with  certainty  what  we  must  believe, 
and  what  we  must  do  in  order  to  be  saved;  and  not  to  be 
tossed  about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  and  perturbed  by 
every  theory  of  morals — what  can  be  compared  to  this  great 
gift!  The  Catholic  believes  most  firmly  that  he  is  a  pil- 
grim here,  has  pitched  his  tent  but  for  the  night,  and  is 
passing  on  to  his  eternal  home  beyond  the  skies ;  which  he 
believes  is  a  place  of  unalloyed  happiness  and  bliss.  And 
he  has  the  firmest  hope  that  no  matter  what  storms  may 
arise,  if  he  be  faithful  to  the  divine  Pilot,  he  will  arrive 
safe  and  triumphant  into  the  heavetily  port. 

The  second  lesson  I  would  draw,  is  the  contrast  between 
the  shepherd  and  the  hireling.  Where  but  in  the  Catholic 
Church  will  you  find  men  who  lay  down  their  lives  for 
their  flock.  Persecution  will  not  drive  them  away!  They 
do  not  call  upon  the  civil  power  to  defend  them  when  doing 
missionary  work  among  the  heathens,  and  thus  entangle 
the  nations  in  war.  They  go  to  the  rack  and  the  dungeon 
silently,  and  pour  out  their  blood  like  the  Divine  Master, 
that  it  might  fructify  and  bring  forth  a  wonderful  harvest 
of  souls.  Pestilence  does  not  frighten  them!  When  neces- 
sary they  will  face  contagious  disease  in  its  most  malignant 
form  to  administer  the  Sacraments,  and  give  consolation 
to  the  dying.  They  are  the  true  shepherds;  they  know 
their  sheep,  and  their  sheep  know  them ;  and  there  springs 
up  between  them  the  truest,  warmest  and  purest  love. 

And  the  third,  and  last  lesson  T  would  draw,  is  to  do  all 


SERMON  ON  CATHOLIC  FAITH  47 

in  our  power  to  hasten  the  day,  when  there  shall  be  again 
one  fold  and  one  shepherd;  to  hasten  the  day,  when  our 
non-Catholic  brethren  shall  return  to  the  faith  of  their 
forefathers  and  worship  at  the  same  altars  with  us,  and 
partake  of  the  same  spiritual  food  and  drink. 

Our  first  duty,  however,  is  to  our  own  people — to  keep 
the  faith  pure  and  undefiled  among  them.  The  Apostles 
were  sent  first  to  the  children  of  Israel;  afterwards  to  the 
Gentile  world.  We  are  to  imitate  them.  "But  other  sheep 
I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold;  them  also  I  must  bring; 
and  they  shall  hear  My  voice,  and  there  shall  be  one  fold, 
and  one  shepherd."  You,  brethren  of  the  laity  can  hasten 
this  union;  first  by  good  example,  by  living  good  Catholic 
lives,  by  putting  into  practice  the  teaching  of  the  Church, 
allowing  her  doctrines  to  permeate  and  leaven  your  daily 
lives: — "Words  move,  but  examples  draw!"  "By  their  fruits 
you  shall  know  them."  A  good  practical  Catholic  teaches 
silently,  but  eloquently,  all  day  long.  You  may  not  per- 
ceive the  immediate  effect  of  this;  but  remember,  all  great 
forces  do  their  work  secretly,  almost  imperceptibly.  You 
can  hasten  this  union,  secondly,  by  understanding  Catholic 
doctrines  better,  by  being  able  to  explain  them,  when  misrep- 
resented, and  defend  them  when  attacked.  In  this  age  of  un- 
rest and  inquiry,  there  is  an  obligation  upon  Catholics  to 
know  their  creed  well.  You  do  not  have  to  study  learned 
works — A  small  catechism,  and  a  book  like  "The  Catholic 
Belief"  are  sufficient.  A  simple  statement  of  our  belief  is 
often  the  strongest  proof;  "For  truth  has  such  a  face  and 
mien  as  to  be  loved,  needs  only  to  be  seen."  The  intellect  has 
been  made  for  truth,  and  truth  by  its  nature  draws  the  intel- 
lect to  itself,  as  the  magnet  does  the  needle.  You  can  hasten 
the  day  by  prayer;  and  without  prayer  you  cannot  hasten 
it.  "Paul  planteth,  Apollo  watereth,  but  God  giveth  the 
increase."  Faith  is  a  divine  gift.  Christ  died  to  save  all 
men,  and  He  wishes  them  to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
fullness  of  truth.  Let  us  pray,  pray  often,  and  pray  fer- 
vently that  all  men  may  meet  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  in 
the  perfect  knowledge  and  likeness  of  Jesus  Christ.  You 
may  convince  the  intellect  by  reasoning,  but  it  takes  the 
grace  of  God  to  move  the  will ! 


DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST. 

CHRISTMAS   SERMON,,   PREACHED  AT   STi   JOSEPH'S   CHURCH, 

HUNTINGTON,   W.   VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — Today,  we 
celebrate  the  birth  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  coming  of  the  Son 
of  God  into  the  world.  Today  is  the  great  Christian  festi- 
val, and  all  hearts  are  filled  with  joy  and  gladness.  And, 

"Some  say  that  ever  'gainst  that  season  comes 
Wherein   our   Savior's  birth   is   celebrated, 
The  bird  of  dawning  singeth  all  night  long." 

Yes,  on  this  day  all  Christians  should  be  glad  and  rejoice; 
for  some  nineteen  hundred  years  ago  and  more,  the  Christ, 
the  Messiah,  the  Expected  of  Nations,  had  come;  on  this 
day  the  Lord,  the  God,  the  Savior,  the  Alpha  and  Omega 
of  all  things  came  and  dwelt  amongst  men ;  and  from  out 
the  depths  of  the  blue  sky  was  heard  the  angel's  song: 
"Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace  to  men  of 
good  will."  Christmas  means  this  and  more  to  Catholics, 
and  therefore  our  souls  are  filled  with  joy  and  gladness, 
which  find  expression  in  this  celebration  nigh  universal. 

In  the  village  of  Nazareth  there  lived  a  Virgin,  who 
was  espoused  to  Joseph,  and  both  were  of  the  royal  house 
of  David.  One  day  as  the  maiden  knelt  in  humble  prayer, 
she  was  visited  by  an  angel  who  announced  to  her  that  she 
would  miraclously  conceive  and  bring  forth  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  Most  High.  Joseph  being  of  the  tribe  of  David, 
must  repair  to  Bethlehem  to  be  enrolled.  Accompanied 
by  his  young  spouse,  he  quits  the  hills  of  Zabulon  and  jour- 
neyg  on  to  Bethlehem.  They  traveled  four  days,  passing 
over  the  plains  of  Esdralon,  En-Gamnum,  Sichem  and  Sion, 
until  they  espy  the  city  of  David. 

Bethlehem  was  situated  on  a  long,  whitish  hill,  whose 
slopes  were  covered  with  vines,  olive  and  fig  trees.  En- 
48 


DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST  49 

tering  they  met  other  travelers  who,  under  the  shelter  of 
the  rude  galleries  were  spreading  their  mats,  while  all 
around  them  were  beasts  of  burden,  blocking  up  the  court- 
yard. 

Mary  and  Joseph  have  come  late;  they  are  poor,  and 
her  time  is  drawing  near;  they  receive  a  cold  welcome,  and 
are  told  that  there  is  no  room  for  them.  But  the  chalked 
hills  of  Judea  are  honey-combed  with  caves,  some  of  which 
are  used  to  shelter  such  beasts  of  burden  as  the  public 
stables  cannot  accommodate.  Into  one  of  these  Mary  retires, 
unable  to  find  refuge  elsewhere.  And  here  on  a  cold  winter's 
night,  far  from  all  assistance,  amidst  the  straw,  she  brings 
forth  painlessly,  and  without  effort,  as  a  ripe  fruit  plucked 
from  a  branch,  Jesus  Christ,  and  wraps  Him  in  swaddling 
clothes,  and  lays  Him  in  a  manger. 

O  Virgin  Mother,  take  that  Child,  fondle  Him,  caress 
Him,  press  Him  to  thy  bosom,  and  make  up  by  the  warmth 
of  thy  caresses  for  the  coldness  of  the  world !  Those  tiny 
hands  that  reach  out  to  thee  are  divine!  Those  lips  that 
touch  thy  chaste  breast  are  divine!  That  cry  is  divine!  For 
that  Babe,  which  thou  hast  brought  forth,  is  the  Christ,  the 
Messiah,  the  Lord,  true  God,  and  true  Man! 

My  Brethren,  in  Jesus  -Christ  there  are  two  natures, 
the  nature  of  God,  and  the  nature  of  man.  By  man,  we 
mean  that  Christ  assumed,  not  a  phantom  of  a  body,  not  a 
heavenly  body,  but  a  real,  earthly  body,  which  was  formed 
from  the  substance  of  the  Virgin  Mary  in  time;  and  also, 
that  He  assumed  a  true,  rational  soul  like  ours.  And  by 
God  we  do  not  mean  that  Christ  was  simply  the  most  per- 
fect of  men,  with  a  divine  mission,  in  whom  the  Godhead 
dwelt  and  operated,  but  we  mean  that  Christ  was  true  God, 
the  Second  Person  of  the  Adorable  Trinity,  begotten  of  the 
Father  from  all  eternity,  possessing  the  divine  nature  in  all 
its  fullness  and  entirety;  and  consequently  there  were  in 
Christ  one  person,  two  wills  and  two  operations.  Such  is 
the  mystery  of  the  Incarnation. 

Just  a  word  or  two  about  the  human  nature  of  Christ, 
as  it  is  scarcely  questioned  now.  Jesus  Christ  was  a  real 
and  true  Man.  "See  My  hands,  and  feet,  that  it  is  Myself; 
handle  and  see.  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as 


50  DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST 

you  £ee  Me  to  have."  (Luke  XXIV  39)  ;  "Behold  thou  shalt 
conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  Son ;  and 
thou  shalt  call  His  name  Jesus."  (Luke  I,  31)  ;  "Then  He 
saith  to  them:  'My  soul  is  sorrowful  even  unto  death;  stay 
you  here  and  watch  with  Me'."  (Matt.  XXVI,  38.)  For 
three  years  Christ  lived  a  public  life,  eating,  drinking  and 
conversing  with  men.  And  after  having  been  cruelly 
scourged,  He  was  finally  nailed  to  a  cross,  and  there  died 
between  two  thieves.  All  of  which  proves  conclusively  that 
He  was  a  real  and  true  man,  possessing  a  fleshy  body  and 
a  rational  soul. 

"Why  have  the  Gentiles  raged,  and  the  people  devised 
vain  things?  The  kings  of  the  earth  stood  up,  and  the 
princes  meet  together  against  the  Lord,  and  against  His 
Christ.  Let  us  break  their  bonds  asunder,  and  let  us  cast 
away  their  yoke  from  us.  He  that  dwelleth  in  heaven  shall 
laugh  at  them,  and  the  Lord  shall  deride  them.  Then  shall 
He  speak  to  them  in  His  anger,  and  trouble  them  in  His 
rage.  But  I  am  appointed  by  Him  over  Sion,  His  holy 
mountain,  preaching  His  commandment.  The  Lord  has  said 
to  me:  Thou  art  My  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee, 
ask  of  Me  and  I  will  give  Thee  the  Gentiles  for  Thy  inher- 
itance, and  the  utmost  parts  of  the  earth,  for  thy  possess- 
ion. Thou  shalt  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  shall 
break  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel." 

These  words  of  the  second  Psalm  of  David  evidently 
refer  to  the  Messiah.  And  from  this  speech  we  learn  that 
the  princes,  and  the  kings,  and  the  powerful  ones  of  the 
earth  are  to  contend,  cry  out  and  wage  war  against  Him, 
but  that  He  will  come  out  of  the  conflict  victorious,  and  will 
establish  His  rule  over  all  nations,  and  that  His  kingdom 
will  have  no  end.  In  whom  was  this  prophecy  fulfilled? 
Not  in  David,  nor  any  other  Jewish  King,  but  in  Christ 
alone,  the  Anointed,  the  Son  of  God. 

"At  the  first  time,  the  Jand  of  Zabulon,  and  the  land 
of  Nephtali  was  lightly  touched;  and  at  the  last,  the  way  of 
the  Sea,  beyond  the  Jordon  of  the  Galilee  of  the  Gentiles 
was  heavily  loaded.  The  people  that  walked  in  darkness 
have  seen  a  great  light;  to  them  that  dwelt  in  the  region  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  light  is  risen.  Thou  hast  multiplied 


DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST  51 

the  nations  and  hast  not  increased  the  joy.  They  shall  re- 
joice before  Thee  as  they  that  rejoice  in  the  harvest,  as 
conquerors  rejoice  after  taking  a  prey  when  they  divide  the 
spoils.  For  the  yoke  of  their  burden,  and  the  rod  of  their 
shoulder,  and  the  sceptre  of  their  oppressor,  thou  hast 
overcome  as  in  the  day  of  Madian.  For  every  violent  taking 
of  spoils  with  tumult  and  garment  mingled  with  blood  shall 
be  burnt,  and  be  fuel  for  the  fire.  For  a  child  is  born  to 
us,  and  the  government  is  upon  His  shoulders,  and  His  name 
shall  be  called,  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  God  the  Mighty,  the 
Father  of  the  world  to  come,  the  Prince  of  Peace.  His 
empire  shall  be  multiplied,  and  there  shall  be  no  end  of 
peace;  He  shall  sit  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon 
His  kingdom;  to  establish  it  and  strengthen  it  with  judg- 
ment, and  with  justice  from  henceforth  and  forever;  the 
zeal  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  will  perform  this." 

This  prophecy  of  Isaias,  too,  is  certainly  Messianic. 
The  Rabbis,  St.  Matthew,  St.  Luke,  and  all  the  Fathers 
have  considered  it  such.  That  child  called  in  prophecy, 
the  Wonderful,  the  Counsellor,  God  the  Mighty,  Father  of 
the  world  to  come,  and  the  Prince  of  Peace  could  be  no 
other  than  the  Messiah.  But  do  not,  I  ask,  all  these  attributes 
and  characters  fit  exactly  that  Babe  which  was  born  some 
nineteen  hundred  years  ago?  Was  He  not  the  Wonderful! 
Was  He  not  the  Counsellor!  Did  He  not  enlighten  those 
who  sat  in  the  valley  of  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow  of 
death!  Was  He  not  the  Prince  of  Peace!  Did  He  not  sit 
upon  the  throne  of  David  and  strengthen  it  with  justice  and 
judgment!  Has  not  His  empire  been  multiplied  over  the 
world  until  the  end!  Yes,  from  these  two  prophecies  we 
are  taught  that  the  Child  whose  birth  we  are  celebrating 
today,  and  whose  birth  the  Catholic  Church  has  been  cele- 
brating for  nearly  nineteen  hundred  years — that  Child  of 
the  Virgin  Mary — was  He  who  was  to  come  of  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  of  the  house  of  David — was  He  who  was  the  Ex- 
pectation, the  joy  of  Israel,  and  the  desired  and  consola- 
tion of  the  nations — the  Messiah,  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
God! 

"In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was 
with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The  same  was  in  the 


52  DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST 

beginning  with  God.  All  things  were  made  by  Him,  and 
without  Him  was  made  nothing  that  was  made.  And  the 
Word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  amongst  us  (and  we  saw 
His  glory,  the  glory  as  it  were  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father)  full  of  grace  and  truth."  St.  John  the  Evangelist 
could  not  teach  in  clearer  language,  the  divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  describes  His  eternity,  imminancy,  consubstan- 
tiality  with  the  Father,  and  His  creative  power: — "In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word" — eternity;  "And  the  Word  was 
with  God" — imminancy;  "And  the  Word  was  God" — 
consubstantiality ;  "All  things  were  made  by  Him" — 
creative  power.  And  he  asserts  that  this  same  Word  took 
flesh,  became  man,  and  who  was  no  other  than  Jesus  Christ, 
as  all  rationalists  admit,  and  which  is  clearly  seen  from 
the  context  of  this  first  chapter  of  St.  John's  Gospel. 

My  Dear  Brethren,  when  Christ  in  a  familiar  discourse 
with  His  disciples,  was  asked  by  Philip  to  show  them  the 
father,  responded,  "So  long  a  time  have  I  been  with  you, 
and  have  you  not  known  Me?  Philip,  he  that  seeth  Me, 
seeth  the  Father  also.  How  sayest  thou,  show  us  the 
Father?  Do  you  not  believe  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and 
the  Father  in  Me?  The  words  that  I  speak  to  you,  I  speak 
not  of  myself,  But  the  Father  who  abideth  in  Me,  He  doeth 
the  works.  Believe  you  not  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and 
the  Father  in  Me?  Otherwise  believe  for  the  work's  sake. 
Amen,  Amen.  I  say  to  you,  he  that  believeth  in  Me,  the 
works  that  I  do,  he  also  shall  do,  and  greater  than  these 
shall  he  do."  (John  XIV,  9-13.)  Again  when  He  was 
asked  on  Solomon's  porch  whether  He  was  Christ,  answered : 
"I  and  the  Father  are  one."  The  Jews  then  took  up  stones 
to  stone  Him.  In  these  first  words  repeated  by  St.  John, 
the  Evangelist,  Christ  says  that  He  is  God.  For  unless  He 
was  perfectly  equal  to  the  Father,  of  one  and  the  same 
divine  nature  and  substance,  it  would  have  been  blasphemy 
for  Him  to  have  said,  that  whosoever  saw  Him,  saw  the 
Father.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  expression  which  follows: 
"I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  Me."  And  those 
other  words  of  Christ:  "I  and  the  Father  are  one",  teach 
the  same  truth,  namely  identity  of  nature  and  substance. 
The  Jews  understood  Christ  in  that  sense,  for  after  He  had 


DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST  53 

spoken  thus,  they  stoned  Him,  and  said :  "For  a  good  work 
we  stone  Thee  not,  but  for  blasphemy,  because  that  Thou 
being  man  makest  Thyself  God."  I  could  quote  more  from 
the  teaching  of  Christ  to  show  that  He  himself  believed  in 
His  own  divinity,  or  God-head,  but  the  foregoing,  I  believe, 
shall  be  sufficient. 

Now  Christ  was  not  deceived  about  His  own  nature, 
neither  could  He  deceive  us.  We  must  therefore  accept  His 
testimony  concerning  Himself.  No  one  except  a  demented 
man  could  be  mistaken  about  his  own  personality.  No  one 
of  sound  mind  could  persuade  himself  that  He  was  God,  'if 
He  were  not.  But  the  infidels  of  all  ages,  even  those  most 
hostile  to  Christianity,  admit  that  Christ  was  one  of  the 
wisest  of  men,  that  He  possessed  a  calm  and  serene  mind, 
that  He  was  a  man  of  great  temperance,  moderation  and 
prudence.  The  doctrine  which  He  taught,  the  work  which 
He  did,  and  the  religion  which  He  founded  prove  this.  He 
could  not  then  have  been  deceived  about  Himself.  Neither 
did  He  deceive  us.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  Jewish  writ- 
ers, all  His  enemies  acknowledged  His  perfect  sincerity. 
Yes,  if  we  study  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  we  shall  see 
that  He  had  none  of  the  earmarks  of  an  impostor.  He  was 
most  sincere  and  humble.  See  how  He  exhorts  His  disciples 
to  practice  this  virtue,  "Let  your  speech  be,  yea,  yea,  no,  no." 
On  account  of  His  candor,  some  of  His  disciples  left  Him 
and  walked  no  more  with  Him.  How  sincere  He  was  with 
His  disciples,  and  the  multitude,  yea,  even  His  enemies,  and 
persecutors !  He  upbraids  the  disciples  for  their  faults,  and 
reproaches  the  vices  of  the  people,  going  so  far  as  to  disclose 
the  secret  motives  of  their  actions.  He  taught  love  of  the 
Cross  and  self-denial,  as  the  only  foundation  of  true  dis- 
cipleship;  and  when  Pilate,  during  His  trial  and  condem- 
nation, asked  Him  if  He  were  a  King,  He  answered : — "For 
this  I  was  born,  and  for  this  I  came  into  the  world.  That  I 
should  testify  to  the  truth."  And  what  humility!  For 
thirty  years  He  lived  at  Nazareth,  in  the  humble  home  of 
Joseph  and  Mary,  unknown  to  the  world.  During  this  time 
He  worked  no  miracles,  and  sought  not  His  own  glory,  but 
that  of  His  Father.  And  when  they  came  to  make  Him 


54  DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST 

King,  He  could  truthfully  say,  "Learn  of  Me  because  I  am 
meek  and  humble  of  heart." 

My  Brethren,  we  have  Christ's  own  miracles,  and  the 
testimony  of  the  apostles  as  a  further  proof  of  the  divine 
nature  of  Jesus  Christ.  Unlike  the  prophets  and  apostles, 
Christ  worked  miracles  in  His  own  name,  and  by  His  own 
power.  Moses'  miracles  in  the  land  of  Egypt  are  attributed 
to  God ;  the  miracles  worked  by  Elias  were  done  through  the 
power  of  God;  and  the  apostles  healed  the  sick,  and  raised 
the  dead  to  life  in  the  name  of  Jesus.  Contrast  the  manner 
in  which  Christ  worked  His  miracles.  When  the  leper  said : 
"Lord,  if  Thou  wilt,  Thou  canst  make  me  clean,"  Christ 
answered :  "I  will,  be  thou  made  clean ;"  when  the  Centurion 
asked  him  to  heal  his  servant,  He  said :  "I  will  come  and  heal 
him ;"  When  He  restored  sight  to  two  blind  men  He  simply 
touched  their  eyes  and  said:  "According  to  thy  faith,  be 
it  done  unto  you;"  when  He  raised  to  life  the  son  of  the 
widow  of  Nairn,  He  said:  "Young  man,  I  say  to  thee  arise;" 
when  He  likewise  raised  to  life,  the  daughter  of  Jairus,  He 
said:  "My  child,  I  say  to  thee  arise;"  when  He  brought 
back  to  life  the  brother  of  Martha  and  Marjr,  He  said: 
"Lazarus,  come  forth  from  the  tomb;"  and  finally,  when  He 
foretold  his  own  death  and  resurrection,  He  said:  "I  lay 
it  down  of  myself,  and  I  have  power  to  lay  it  down ;  and  I 
have  power  to  take  it  up  again." 

God,  when  He  created  this  universe,  imposed  upon  all 
creatures,  laws  which  they  must  follow  and  obey.  God  is 
the  Author  of  the  laws  of  nature,  and  it  is  He  who  gives 
them  their  force  and  stability.  Whenever  something  hap- 
pens above,  contrary  to,  or  outside  those  laws,  we  know 
that  God  has  interposed.  A  miracle  is  the  seal  of  God,  and 
stamps  a  work  divine.  It  bespeaks  divine  intervention,  and 
mankind  has  always  considered  miracles  in  this  light.  We 
have  seen  that  Christ  worked  miracles  in  His  own  Name, 
and  by  His  own  power.  On  several  occasions  He  called  the 
attention  of  the  people  to  the  fact  that  His  miracles  were 
a  proof  of  His  divinity.  Thus,  when  He  said  that  He  and 
the  Father  were  one,  and  His  hearers  doubted  it,  He  told 
them  if  they  would  not  believe  His  words,  to  believe  His 
works ;  "I  speak  to  you,  and  you  believe  Me  not ;  the  works 


DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST  55 

that  I  do  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  they  give  testimony  of 
Me."  Thus  again,  when  His  power  of  forgiving  sins  was 
questioned,  He  said :  "Whether  it  is  easier  to  say  thy  sins 
are  forgiven  thee,  or  to  say  arise  and  walk?  But  that  you 
may  know  that  the  Son  of  man  has  the  power  on  earth  to 
forgive  sins,"  He  said  to  the  paralytic :  "I  say  to  thee,  arise, 
take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  into  thy  house."  To  all  this  we 
could  add  the  testimony  of  the  apostles  as  they  went  forth 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  whole  world,  and  the  belief  and 
faith  of  the  early,  primitive  Church  in  the  divine  nature  of 
Jesus  Christ.  We  could  quote  explicitly  from  their  writ- 
ings to  show  this;  but  sufficeth  it,  now,  for  us  to  simply 
refer  to  the  fact  that  they  preached  and  believed  that  Christ 
was  the  Emmanuel,  our  Lord,  and  our  God. 

My  brethren,  from  history  we  learn  that  outside  the 
Jewish  people  whom  God  had  set  aside,  guided  and  directed 
in  a  most  special  manner,  the  ancient  world  had  fallen  into 
the  grossest  errors,  both  intellectual  and  moral.  Down 
through  the  ages,  from  the  time  of  our  first  parents,  there 
had  been  a  gradual  departure  from  truth  and  holiness.  And 
the  more  remote  the  people  were  from  the  primitive  reve- 
lation, the  more  erroneous  became  their  ideas  about  God, 
the  soul,  immortality,  and  the  hereafter. 

The  state  of  the  ancient  world  as  we  view  it.  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Hindoos,  the  Persians,  the  Chaldeans,  the 
Chinese,  the  Egyptians,  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans,  was 
most  appalling.  From  the  worship  of  the  starry  heavens 
they  descended  to  the  creatures  of  this  earth — to*  men,  to 
beasts,  and  then  to  dumb  idols.  Their  morality  became  so 
debased  that  they  performed  the  most  obscene  rites  in  the 
temples  as  acts  of  worship.  Men's  minds  had  become  so 
darkened,  and  their  wills  so  corrupt,  that  Socrates,  four 
hundred  years  before  Christ,  cried  out :  "That  unless  some 
one  came  to  put  aside  the  mist,  man  could  no  longer  know 
how  to  comport  himself  toward  God  and  man. 

The  time  was  ripe  for  the  coming  of  the  Christ,  the 
Redeemer  and  Savior.  The  Pagan  world  had  been  taught 
the  insufficiency  of  itself,  and  now  believed  that  no  effectual, 
lasting  help  could  come  but  from  God,  alone.  Mankind 
had  tasted  to  the  full  the  bitterness  of  its  rebellion,  and 


56  DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST 

was  prepared  to  appreciate  the  blessings  which  the  Expected 
of  the  Nations  would  bring.  The  Christ  was  born.  He  lived 
a  secluded  life  for  thirty  years,  and  then  began  His  work 
and  mission. 

The  world  was  soon  changed.  It  was  moved  by  new 
ideals  and  forces.  In  the  humble  birth  of  the  Savior,  it 
received  its  first  great  lesson.  Christ  taught  the  existence 
of  one  God,  who  was  supreme,  absolute,  perfect  and  infinite, 
and  in  whom  there  were  three  Divine  persons,  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  taught  that  He,  Himself, 
was  both  divine  and  human.  He  taught  the  immortality 
of  the  soul ;  the  existence  of  a  future  life  where  man  would 
be  rewarded  or  punished  according  to  his  works;  promul- 
gated anew  the  Ten  Commandments,  and  taught  the  Eight 
Beatitudes;  established  a  new  form,  of  worship,  of  which 
the  Old  Law  was  a  shadow;  instituted  seven  channels  of 
grace,  and  established  a  Church  to  continue  His  work  until 
the  consummation  of  the  ages.  Christ,  His  doctrines,  and 
the  Church  changed  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  nations  in  their  turn  became  converted,  and  Chris- 
tian principles  and  sentiments  ruled  them.  Light  and  pur- 
ity shone  out  everywhere.  It  is  true  that  some  of  th'e  nations 
were  rough  and  uncouth  externally,  but  sound  faith  and  true 
virtue  were  there.  It  was  these  nations,  recently  converted 
that  erected  those  magnificent  Cathedrals  and  built  the 
grand  monasteries,  which  were  the  centres  of  education  and 
the  homes  of  charity,  that  inaugurated  and  carried  on  the 
Crusades  to  recover  the  Holy  Land  from  the  Turk  and 
Saracen,  and  gave  their  treasure  and  their  blood  freely  to 
that  sacred  cause. 

From  then  on  down  through  the  centuries,  among  all 
nations,  and  people,  and  races,  there  have  been  found  true 
followers  and  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ  innumerable.  It  is 
true  that  a  few  infidels  have  been  found  in  every  age,  but 
their  number  has  been  insignificant.  Their  number  to  the 
number  of  Christians  may  be  compared  as  the  number  of 
the  blind  to  those  who  have  sight.  And  just  as  the  wanting 
of  sight  in  the  blind  does  not  affect  the  existence  of  the  Sun, 
so  neither  does  the  unbelief  of  a  handful  of  infidels  affect 
the  truth  of  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ.  They  do  not  be- 


DIVINITY  AND  HUMANITY  OF  CHRIST  57 

lieve,  because  they  are  either  taken  up  so  much  with  this 
world  and  its  vanities  that  they  will  not  examine  into  the 
claims  of  Christ,  or  because  they  are  the  secret  victims  of 
some  great  vice,  which  holds  them  in  its  embrace  like  chains 
of  steel,  or  because  they  are  so  filled  with  pride  and  conceit, 
that  they  become  in  their  own  folly,  self-sufficient,  and  desire 
not  the  higher  and  nobler  life.  But  Christ  has  been  king 
for  nineteen  hundred  years.  His  sovereignty  has  been  uni- 
versal. Not  by  the  sword,  not  by  pandering  to  sensuality, 
not  by  money,  not  by  temporal  advantages  has  Christ's 
kingdom  been  advanced,  yea,  in  spite  of  these,  and  by  the 
very  opposite,  and  yet  it  is  universal  and  supreme! 

In  conclusion,  my  brethren  in  Christ,  the  deep  study  of 
history  teaches  two  great  truths; — first,  that  the  world  for 
four  thousand  years  or  more  was  being  prepared  by  the 
providence  of  God,  for  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  This 
we  see  especially  in  the  history  of  the  Greeks,  Komans  and 
Jewish  people.  In  their  wars,  conquests,  defeats,  philos- 
ophy and  theology  the  people  were  being  prepared  for  the 
full  revelation  of  the  truth  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  secondly, 
the  philosophy  of  history  teaches  the  deep  student,  that 
since  the  coming  of  Christ,  in  the  march  of  the  kingdoms 
and  empires,  in  the  migration  and  intermingling  of  the 
nations,  in  the  advancement  of  the  arts  and  sciences — God 
has  been  back  of  all,  quietly,  slowly,  but  surely,  advancing 
His  kingdom  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  men,  until  all 
meet  (that  are  called  in  the  counsels  of  God)  in  the  perfect 
knowledge  and  sanctity  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Messiah,  the  Expected  of  the  Nations,  the  Lord,  the  God, 
the  Alpha  and  Omega ;— and  when  this  is  accomplished, 
then  shall  come  the  consummation  of  the  ages — then  shall 
come  the  final  restoration  of  all  things! 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLY  KOSARY. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — As  today  is  the  "Feast  of  the 
Solemnity  of  the  Holy  Rosary",  and  the  month  of  October 
is  dedicated  by  the  Church  to  the  Rosary,  I  deem  it  most 
appropriate  and  advantageous  to  speak  this  morning  on  this 
devotion.  We  shall  therefore  consider  its  nature, — what  it 
is,  and  its  excellence, — how  it  originated, — that  is,  how  it 
came  to  fasten  itself  upon  the  Church, — and  its  importance 
in  the  salvation  and  sanctification  of  our  souls. 

According  to  the  signification  of  the  word  "Rosary"  it 
means  a  chaplet,  or  string  of  beads  used  in  prayer.  The 
beads  themselves  may  be  made  out  of  any  durable  material, 
but  usually  they  are  made  out  of  some  kind  of  hard  beans. 
And  the  material  rosary  consists  of  so  many  of  these  strung 
together  on  a  chain.  But  the  "Dominican  Rosary"  which  is 
the  real  and  approved  rosary,  consists  of  a  crucifix,  sixteen 
large  beads  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  three  small  ones.  On 
the  crucifix  is  said  the  "Apostles'  Creed"  followed  by  a 
"Pater  Noster",  three  "Ave  Marias"  and  a  "Gloria";  and 
then  a  "Pater  Noster",  ten  "Ave  Marias"  and  a  "Gloria"; 
and  thus  on  until  there  has  been  said  fifteen  "Pater  Nos- 
ters",  one  hundred  and  fifty  "Ave  Marias"  and  fifteen 
"Glorias". 

The  "Rosary"  is  divided  into  three  parts.  The  first  part 
comprises  the  "Joyful  Mysteries,"  the  second  the  "Sorrowful 
Mysteries",  and  the  third  the  "Glorious  Mysteries".  Lay 
people  as  a  rule,  possess  but  one-third  of  the  Rosary,  and 
when  they  wish  to  say  the  whole  Rosary  they  must  tell  over 
their  beads  three  times. 

My  brethren,  tradition  has  it  that  the  Blessed  Virgin 
herself  made  known  this  devotion  to  St.  Dominic.  Needless 
to  «ay  that  this  tradition  is -accepted  by  Catholic  scholars, 
and  among  them  there  are  nine  Popes  who  have  taught  ex- 
plicitly that  St.  Dominic  was  instructed  in  the  devotion  of 
58 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLY  ROSARY  59 

the  Rosary  by  the  Blessed  Virgin  when  he  was  preaching  a 
crusade  against  the  Albigenses.  Needless  to  say  that  it  has 
been  enriched  with  many  indulgences  by  the  Church. 

In  his  efforts  to  convert  those  heretical  fanatics,  he  was 
meeting  with  very  little  success.  And  one  day  whilst  pray- 
ing to  the  Blessed  Virgin  before  her  statue,  he  complained 
of  it.  Instantly  she  answered  him  in  the  following  words: 
"Wonder  not  that  until  now  thou  hast  gathered  so  little 
fruit  from  thy  labors;  thou  hast  spent  them  on  a  barren 
soil  not  yet  watered  by  divine  grace.  When  God  willed  to  re- 
new the  face  of  the  earth,  He  began  by  sending  down  the 
fertilizing  rain  of  the  "Angelic  Salutation."  Therefore 
preach  my  'Psalter',  composed  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
'Angelic  Salutations'  and  fifteen  'Pater  Nosters',  and  then 
thou  shalt  obtain  an  abundant  harvest." 

From  that  day  St.  Dominic  began  to  preach  the  devo- 
tion of  the  "Rosary",  and  he  reaped  an  immense  harvest  of 
conversions.  To  that  day,  Catholic  tradition  traces  the 
origin  of  the  Rosary. 

It  is  true  that  a  certain  number  of  "Pater  Nosters"  and 
"Ave  Marias"  had  been  said  before  the  time  of  St.  Dominic. 
The  frequent  repetition  of  the  "Lord's  Prayer"  is  a  practice 
as  ancient  as  the  gospel.  No  doubt  too,  the  "Angelic  Salu- 
tation" had  been  repeated  from  the  beginning.  The  custom 
of  using  pebbles  or  beads,  to  keep  an  account  of  the  "Pater 
Nosters"  and  "Ave  Marias"  told,  is  very  ancient.  For  we 
learn  that  an  Egyptian  Monk  by  the  name  of  Paul,  who 
lived  in  the  Fifth  Century,  had  put  three  hundred  pebbles 
in  his  lap  and  flung  away  one  in  succession  as  he  finished 
each  of  the  three  hundred  prayers.  In  the  Ninth  Century 
we  hear  of  another  person  who  recited,  every  day,  sixty 
"Ave  Marias".  The  monk  Albert  of  the  same  century,  and 
St.  Egbert,  of  the  Twelfth  Century,  each  recited  every  day 
one  hundred  and  fifty  "Ave  Marias".  But  the  "Rosary"  as 
we  have,  and  understand  it,  was  made  known  to  St.  Dominic 
by  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  was  first  used  by  him  in  his 
labors  for  the  conversion  of  the  Albigenses. 

My  brethren,  a  few  words  about  St.  Dominic  who  was 
the  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God  for  the  institution  of 
the  devotion  of  the  Holy  Rosary,  will  not  be  out  of  place. 


60 


This  great  Saint  was  born  about  the  year  1170,  at  Calamega, 
Spain,  of  an  illustrious  house.  His  mother  whilst  with  child 
of  him,  dreamt  that  she  brought  forth  a  whelp  that  carried 
in  its  mouth  a  burning  torch,  with  which  it  set  the  whole 
world  on  fire.  No  doubt,  that  dream  was  a  premonition, 
and  a  prophecy  of  St.  Dominic's  great  work.  He  was  speedily 
baptized  after  his  birth.  His  mother,  like  the  mother  of 
many  great  Saints,  by  her  early  instructions,  at  the  first 
dawn  of  reason  turned  his  mind  towards  his  Creator.  He 
spent  much  of  his  time  during  his  boyhood  in  prayer,  relig- 
ious reading,  and  charitable  works.  He  was  first  sent  to 
the  schools  at  Palencia,  and  then  to  the  University  of  Sala- 
manca. Whilst  here  he  kept  a  strict  watch  over  his  senses, 
and  by  discipline  and  mortification  brought  them  under  per- 
fect control.  During  a  severe  famine,  he  gave  away  all  his 
money  and  goods,  and  sold  his  books,  writings  and  commen- 
taries. And  on  another  occasion  when  a  poor  woman  came 
to  him  begging  alms  with  which  to  redeem  her  brother  who 
had  been  sold  to  the  Moors  as  a  slave,  St.  Dominic  said  to 
her :  "I  have  neither  gold  nor  silver,  but  I  am  able  to  work. 
Offer  me  to  the  Moors  in  exchange  for  your  brother.  I  am 
willing  to  be  their  slave." 

He  preached  the  gospel  with  wonderful  power  and  suc- 
cess at  Palencia,  where  he  was  looked  upon  as  an  oracle 
of  God,  and  was  consulted  by  all  classes  of  people  in  their 
troubles  and  perplexities.  He  spent  ten  years  in  France 
preaching  to  the  Albigenses,  and  then  founded  the  "Order 
of  Dominicans",  to  supply  the  church  with  zealous  preachers 
and  missionaries.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  "Order" 
flourished  everywhere,  and  at  his  death  it  numbered  sixty 
convents.  Whilst  missionaries  of  the  "Order"  were  preach- 
ing with  much  fruit  to  the  Christians  and  heathens,  many 
of  the  brethren  were  laboring  as  professors  in  colleges  and 
universities.  The  "Order"  besides  giving  to  the  Church 
countless  numbers  of  Saints  has  furnished  her  with  three 
Popes,  sixty  Cardinals,  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  Arch- 
bishops, and  upwards  of  eight  hundred  Bishops. 

As  time  will  not  permit  me  to  dwell  longer  upon  this 
inviting  subject  we  must  draw  our  incomplete  sketch  to  a 
close  by  an  account  of  St.  Dominic's  death.  Our  Saint  had 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLY  ROSARY  61 

a  foresight  of  his  death  quite  a  while  before  it  happened. 
Before  setting  out  on  a  journey  from  Bologna  to  Milan 
he  said  to  his  brethren:  "Now  you  see  me  in  health,  but 
before  the  'Glorious  Ascension  of  the" Virgin  Mother'  I  shall 
take  my  departure  hence  to  the  Lord."  He  returned  to 
Bologna  and  was  seized  with  a  burning  fever.  Notwith- 
standing his  serious  illness  he  passed  the  greater  part  of 
the  night  in  prayer  in  the  Church,  as  was  his  custom.  He 
was  obliged  to  retire  to  his  room,  but  would  not  lie  on  a 
bed.  During  his  sickness  he  continued  most  cheerful,  and 
when  finding  himself  growing  most. weak  and  realizing  that 
the  hour  of  dissolution  was  near  at  hand,  he  assembled  his 
religious  brethren,  and  in  a  touching  discourse  which  he 
called  his  last  testament,  he  exorted  them  to  practice  con- 
stantly humility,  purity,  fervor  and  watchfulness  over 
themselves,  particularly  against  the  snares  of  the  demon 
of  impurity.  Seeing  his  brethren  weeping,  he  promised 
never  to  forget  them  when  he  should  be  with  God.  He  re- 
ceived the  last  Sacraments,  continued  in  secret  prayer 
until  he  calmly  expired  on  the  sixth  of  August,  1221,  in  his 
fifty  first  year. 

Returning  now,  my  brethren,  to  the  "Rosary",  let  me 
affirm  that  there  is  no  private  devotion  in  the  Church  more 
salutary  than  the  devotion  of  the  "Holy  Rosary".  It  should 
be  to  the  lay  people  what  the  Divine  Office  is  to  the  priests. 
Never  should  they  allow  a  day  to  pass  by  without  saying 
the  Holy  Rosary.  Can  anything  be  more  solid,  or  more 
efficacious !  In  the  beginning  we  say  the  "Apostles'  Creed", 
which  tradition  tells  us  was  drawn  upi  by  the  Apostles,  be- 
fore their  separation  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  Nations. 
By  it  we  profess  our  faith  in  one  God,  the  Creator  of  all 
things ;  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  Redeemer  of  the  World ;  in  the 
Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  Light  and  Sanctity;  in  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church,  the  representative  of  Christ  upon  earth; 
in  the  Communion  of  Saints  by  which  the  members  of  the 
Church  can  assist  each  other  by  their  prayers;  in  the  Re- 
mission of  Sins  through  the  Sacraments  of  Baptism  and 
Penance;  in  the  Resurrection  of  the  Body  on  the  Last  Day; 
and  in  the  bestowal  of  life  everlasting  upon  the  Just.  In 


62  SERMON  ON  THE  HOLY  ROSARY 

the  recitation  of  the  creed  we  exercise  too,  the  virtues  of 
faith,  hope  and  charity. 

In  the  devotion  of  the  "Holy  Rosary",  we  say  fifteen 
times  the  "Pater  Noster",  the  prayer  taught  us  by  Jesus 
Christ  Himself  after  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  when  He 
was  asked  by  the  Apostles  how  we  should  pray.  In  this 
prayer  the  greatest  of  all  prayers,  we  profess  that  we  are 
children  of  the  same  Heavenly  Father;  we  ask  that  His 
name  be  hallowed  and  reverenced  above  all  things;  we  pray 
for  the  extension  and  triumph  of  His  Kingdom  in  our  own 
hearts,  and  in  the  hearts  of  all  men;  we  ask  that  His  will 
be  the  law,  and  guide  on  earth  among  men  as  it  is  in  Heaven 
among  the  angels  and  saints;  we  beseech  Him  to  supply 
our  spiritual  and  temporal  wants ;  we  ask  God  to  forgive  us 
our  sins  in  the  same  measure  as  we  forgive  our  fellow  man 
his  trespasses  against  us;  and  finally  we  supplicate  our 
Heavenly  Father  to  keep  us  away  from  temptations  and  de- 
liver us  from  all  evils.  Hext  come  the  one  hundred  and 
fifty  "Ave  Marias".  What  a  prayer!  It  originated  in 
Heaven.  It  was  composed  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  was 
brought  to  this  earth  by  an  angel,  and  was  sung  in  the 
Virgin  Mary's  ear  as  she  knelt  in  humble  prayer.  In  it  the 
mystery  of  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption  is  foretold.  By 
it  we  praise  God  for  His  infinite  goodness  towards  us,  and 
exalt  His  Mother  because  she  is  the  instrument  of  it.  In 
the  second  part,  beginning  with  the  words  "Holy  Mary" 
which  was  composed  by  the  Church  under  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  we  acknowledge  our  sinfulness  and  weak- 
ness, and  profess  that  we  stand  greatly  in  need  of  God's 
help — now,  during  our  present  life,  surrounded  by  evil  on 
every  side — but  especially  at  the  hour  of  death,  when  Hell 
and  Satan,  and  the  evil  spirits  make  their  last  assault  upon 
our  souls.  And  by  the  fifteen  "Glorias"  we  profess  our  faith 
in  the  Adorable  Trinity,  the  life  which  God  lives  within 
Himself,  and  wish  that  the  Three  Persons  of  the  God-head 
might  be  exalted  and  glorified  forever  and  ever. 

This  is  not  all,  my  brethren: — In  the  devotion  of  the 
Holy  Rosary  before  our  mind  is  brought  the  whole  life  of 
Christ  and  His  Blessed  Mother.  In  the  "Joyful  Mysteries" 
we  call  to  mind  the  scene  of  the  angel  visiting  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  and  announcing  to  her  that  she  was  to  become  the 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLY*  ROSARY  63 

Mother  of  God;  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  who  was  with  child 
of  Jesus  Christ  visiting  St.  Elizabeth,  who  was  with  child  of 
John  the  Baptist,  and  the  infant  leaping  within  her  womb ; 
of  the  birth  of  the  Child  Jesus  in  the  cold  and  bleak  stable  at 
Bethlehem;  of  the  Presentation  of  the  Divine  Infant  in  the 
Temple  according  to  the  Mosaic  Law;  and  of  the  Finding 
of  the  Boy  Jesus  after  He  had  been  lost  three  days,  in  the 
midst  of  the  doctors,  hearing  and  asking  them  questions. 
In  the  "Sorrowful  Mysteries",  we  meditate  upon  the  bloody 
sweat  of  Christ  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemani;  upon  His 
cruel  scourging  in  the  courtyard;  upon  the  crowning  of 
His  head  with  the  wreath  of  thorns;  upon  His  humiliating 
and  painful  journey  to  Calvary's  heights,  and  upon  His 
death  there  are  on  the  Cross  between  two  thieves,  all  bleed- 
ing, lacerated,  and  mangled.  And  in  the  "Glorious  Mys- 
teries" we  picture  to  ourselves  the  coming  forth  of  Christ 
from  the  tomb  in  great  power;  His  glorious  Ascension  and 
triumphant  entry  into  Heaven ;  the  coming  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  the  Apostles  in  the  visible  form  of  tongues  of 
fire;  the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  into  Heaven, 
and  her  crowning  there  above  all  the  angels  and  saints. 

O  Blessed  Mother!  On  this  Feast  of  the  Holy  Rosary 
we  raise  our  minds  and  hearts  to  thee,  and  beseech  thee  to 
look  down  with  mercy  and  compassion  upon  thy  weak  and 
sinful  children !  From  thy  high  throne  in  Heaven  turn  thy 
motherly  heart  here  and  listen!  We  beseech  thee  to  inter- 
cede with  thy  Divine  Son,  that  the  Devotion  of  the  Holy 
Rosary  may  take  firm  root  in  this  parish  and  spread,  believ- 
ing as  we  do  that  it  will  be  the  cause  of  much  holiness 
among  our  people,  and  the  conversion  of  many  to  the  true 
faith'  in  Huntington!  We  also  invoke  thee,  St.  Dominic, 
that  thou  mayest  obtain  for  us  from  Christ,  some  of  thy 
spirit  of  purity,  mortification  and  compassion!  O  Blessed 
Mother!  Drive  away  from  us  all  spirit  of  heresy  and 
unbelief,  and  be  ever  at  our  side  in  the  conflict  with  the 
powers  of  darkness!  O,  St.  Dominic!  we  beseech  thee  to 
intercede  with  Christ  that  we  may  have  more  love  for,  and 
more  devotion  to  His  mother,  always  firmly  believing  as 
it  is  a  fact  that  as  the  Mother  and  the  Son  went  together 
in  the  work  of  our  Redemption,  they  cannot  be  separated 
in  the  work  of  our  Salvation ! 


RESURRECTION  OF  CHRIST. 

EASTER  SERMON. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends : — The  last  to 
leave  the  tomb  of  Jesus  were  the  holy  women  who  had  fol- 
lowed Him  from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem.  Eager  to  embalm 
the  body  with  greater  care  than  Nicodemus  had  been  able 
to  do,  Mary  Magdalene,  Mary,  the  mother  of  James,  and 
Salome  purchased  some  sweet  spices  on  the  evening  of  the 
Sabbath's  rest.  And  the  next  morning,  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  while  it  was  still  dark  and  misty,  they  pass  without 
the  city  walls  and  wend  their  way  to  the  sepulchre,  murmur- 
ing to  each  other  as  they  hasten  along:  "Who  will  help  us  to 
remove  the  stone  from  the  mouth  of  the  sepulchre?" 

As  they  drew  near  to  the  garden,  suddenly  the  earth 
quivers  and  shakes,  and  a  darkness  darker  than  Erebus  it- 
self envelopes  Jerusalem.  The  women,  much  frightened, 
stop  and  hesitate  to  go  further.  An  angel  of  the  Lord  de- 
scends from  Heaven  and  rolls  back  the  stone  from  the 
mouth  of  the  sepulchre.  Reassured  by  the  ensuing  quiet, 
they  pass  within  the  shadowy  garden,  and  raising  their  eyes 
behold  that  the  stone  has  been  drawn  away. 

At  the  sight  of  this,  Mary  Magdalene  leaves  her  two  com- 
panions and  hastens  to  Jerusalem  to  inform  the  disciples. 
On  the  way  she  meets  Peter  and  James,  and  cries  out : 
"They  have  taken  the  Lord  away  from  out  the  sepulchre, 
and  we  do  not  know  what  they  have  done  with  Him!" 

In  the  meanwhile,  Mary's  two  companions  linger  at  the 
tomb.  At  last  they  decide  to  enter  within;  and  behold! 
an  angel  clothed  in  white  garments  is  seated  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  tomb;  and  a  great  fear  overcomes  them.  But 
the  angel  cairns  them  by  saying:  "Fear  not!  I  know  you 
seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  Who  was  crucified.  He  is  risen! 
He  is  no  longer  here!  Come  and  see  the  place  where  they 
laid  Him.  Go  quickly  and  announce  to  Peter  and  the  dis- 
64 


65 

ciples  that  He  is  risen  from  the  dead.  He  will  go  before 
you  into  Galilee.  It  is  there  that  you  shall  see  Him,  ac- 
cording as  He  foretold  it  to  you.  Lo,  I  have  warned  you 
thereof  before  hand." 

The  two  women  Went  forth  from  the  sepulchre  with 
their  hearts  divided  between  fear  and  gladness.  But  fear 
soon  overpowered  them,  and  they  fled,  afraid  to  repeat  what 
they  had  just  seen  and  heard. 

Peter  and  John  have  now  arrived  at  the  tomb.  They 
look  within,  and  lo!  the  body  of  Christ  is  gone,  but  they 
see  the  swathing  bands  and  linen,  and  the  napkins  neatly 
folded  and  laid  aside. 

At  this  sight  they  realize  that  it  was  necessary  for  the 
Christ  to  die  and  rise  again.  And  they  return  straightway 
to  their  homes  with  their  hearts  overflowing  with  joy,  and 
meditating  on  these  things  that  had  come  to  pass. 

Such,  my  brethren  and  Christian  friends,  is  a  brief 
description  of  the  happenings  around  the  tomb  on  that  first 
Easter  morn,  nearly  nineteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  which 
glorious  event  we  celebrate  today,  and  which  the  Catholic 
Church  has  been  celebrating  these  many  hundred  years. 

The  Resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  is  the  foundation  of 
the  Christian  faith  and  hope;  for  as  St.  Paul  says:  "If 
Christ  be  not  risen  from  the  dead,  then  is  our  preaching 
vain,  and  your  faith  is  also  vain."  Yes,  Christ  Himself 
selected  this  to  be  the  miracle  of  His  miracles,  and  an  in- 
vincible proof  of  His  divine  mission.  For  when  the  Scribes 
and  Pharisees  asked  Him  for  a  sign,  He  said:  "An  evil 
and  adulterous  generation  seeketh  a  sign;  and  a  sign  shall 
not  be  given  it,  but  the  sign  of  Jonas,  the  Prophet.  For  as 
Jonas  was  in  the  whale's  belly  three  days  and  three  nights, 
so  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  in  the  heart  of  the  earth  three 
days  and  three  nights."  Moreover,  the  Apostles  based  the 
truth  of  their  preaching  upon  it;  Matthias  was  chosen  to 
be  a  witness  of  it;  it  formed  the  burden  of  St.  Peter's  first 
sermon;  and  St.  Paul  preached  it  to  the  Athenians  in  the 
Areopagus. 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  friends,  unbelievers  know- 
ing this — knowing  that  the  Resurrection  is  the  citadel  of 
Christian  faith,  have  attacked  the  reality  of  it  in  every  con- 


66  RESURRECTION  OF  CHRIST 

ceivable  way.  Some  with  Salvador  and  Paul  have  said 
that  Christ  was  simply  in  a  trance  when  taken  down  from 
the  Cross.  Others  have  renewed  the  story  concocted  by  the 
Jewish  priests,  and  propagated  so  zealously  by  Celsus,  of 
the  Fourth  Century,  namely,  that  the  Apostles  were  rank 
deceivers.  Others  again  with  Strauss  and  Kenan  as  their 
leaders,  have  invented  the  theory  of  hallucination.  A  fourth 
class  admit  that  He  appeared  to  the  disciples,  but  say  in 
spirit  only,  not  corporally.  And  a  fifth  class  deny  that  the 
Apostles  preached  the  real  Resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ. 
They  say  that  such  a  doctrine  was  a  gradual  aftergrowth. 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  friends,  as  these  rationalis- 
tic theories  are  being  propagated  insidiously  by  men  in  high 
places,  and  teachers  of  the  people,  I  take  Easter  as  an 
opportune  time  to  answer  and  refute  them.  I  know  that 
I  cannot  do  this  as  thoroughly  as  the  importance  of  the 
subject  demands,  in  one  short  discourse,  and  I  therefore 
ask  you  to  bear  this  in  mind  if  I  do  not  enlarge  sufficiently 
some  points.  And  first  as  to  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ — 
was  He  dead  or  in  a  trance  when  taken  down  from  the 
Cross?  Against  the  speculation  of  a  few  rationalists  we 
offer  the  testimony  of  eye  witnesses — of  impartial  witness- 
es— the  testimony  of  the  Centurion,  Pilate,  Nicodemus  and 
the  Jewish  guards.  From  the  Gospels  we  learn  that  Pilate 
would  not  allow  the  body  of  Jesus  to  be  buried  until  he 
heard  from  the  Centurion  that  He  was  really  dead.  More- 
over, when  the  Jews  asked  Pilate  for  the  bodies  of  the 
'  crucified,  he  was  surprised  to  learn  that  Christ  was  dead 
so  soon.  And  to  make  certain  of  it,  he  sent  soldiers,  who 
according  to  the  law,  were  to  break  His  legs,  and  thus  crush 
out  any  remaining  spark  of  life.  But  coming  to  Him,  they 
perceived  that  He  was  actually  dead,  and  they  passed  on 
to  the  other  two  criminals.  However,  one  of  them  ran  his 
spear  into  the  side  of  Christ.  Only  after  that  was  the  body 
of  Jesus  handed  over  to  Nicoderaus,  who  bound  it  with  linen 
bands  and  spices,  and  prepared  it  for  burial.  Who  will  say 
that  the  Jewish  guards,  who  had  been  appointed  to  see 
that  the  sentence  of  death  was  executed  did  not  perform 
their  task  well?  A  word  from  the  rationalist  Renan  upon 
this  point:  "In  reality  the  best  guarantee  which  a  histor- 


RESURRECTION  OF  CHRIST  67 

ian  possesses  upon  a  point  of  this  nature  is  the  suspicious 
hatred  of  the  enemies  of  Jesus.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the 
Jews  were  thus  early  affected  by  the  fear,  lest  Jesus  should 
be  thought  to  be  raised  from  the  dead ;  but  at  all  events  they 
must  have  made  certain  that  He  was  actually  dead." 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  friends,  it  was  a  physical 
impossibility  for  Christ  to  have  survived  His  Passion  and 
Crucifixion.  For  let  us  not  forget  that  before  He  was 
nailed  to  the  Cross,  He  had  suffered  a  dreadful  agony  in 
the  garden;  so  severe  was  the  mental  suffering  there,  that 
the  evangelists  tell  us  that  He  literally  sweat  blood.  Then 
He  was  scourged  in  the  courtyard  by  strong  Roman  sold- 
iers, the  number  of  whose  blows  were  limited  only  by  their 
endurance.  After  that  they  placed  a, crown  of  thorns  upon 
His  head,  and  drove  it  down  into  His  sacred  brow.  All 
bloody  and  mangled,  He  starts  up  the  heights  of  Calvary 
with  the  heavy  Cross  upon  His  shoulders.  Before  He 
reached  the  gates  beyond  the  walls  of  Jerusalem,  He  falls 
from  exhaustion.  With  blows  from  pike  and  javelin,  they 
force  Him  to  rise,  but  He  is  too  weak  to  carry  the  Cross, 
and  they  compel  Simon,  the  Cyrenean,  to  carry  it  for  Him. 
After  reaching  Calvary's  Heights,  He  was  laid  upon  the 
Cross,  and  His  arms  and  legs  were  pulled  almost  out  of 
their  sockets  in  order  that  they  might  reach  the  holes  made 
in  the  wood.  Then  they  drove  blunt  spikes  through  the 
palms  of  His  hands,  and  the  soles  of  His  feet,  and  fasten 
them  tightly  to  the  Cross.  They  now  swing  the  Cross  aloft, 
and  allow  Him  to  hang  suspended  between  earth  and 
heaven  with  the  weight  of  His  body  upon  those  pierced  and 
wounded  hands  and  feet.  And  finally  one  of  the  soldiers, 
as  he  passed  by,  ran  his  sword  into  His  heart,  and  from  out 
the  wound  came  blood  and  water.  Who  but  a  man  urged 
on  by  madness  and  desperation  would  dare  to  insinuate  that 
Christ  could  have  survived  all  this?  If  some  other  histor- 
ical character  than  Christ  had  endured  so  much,  and  there 
would  rise  up  in  our  midst  a  man  advancing  such  a  theory, 
he  would  be  judged  insane  by  thinking  people.  I  say  then, 
away  with  the  trance  theory!  It  is  unworthy  of  the  serious 
consideration  of  any  sensible  man,  and  today  all  scholarly 
rationalists  reject  it. 


68 


My  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  as  Christ  truly 
and  really  died  on  the  Cross,  so  He  truly  and  really  rose 
from  the  dead  as  He  had  foretold.  After  His  resurrection, 
He  appeared  not  once  or  twice,  but  several  times;  not  to 
one  or  two  disciples,  but  to  many;  not  in  one  place,  but  in 
several.  He  appeared  to  Mary  Magdalene  as  she  stood 
weeping  at  the  tomb;  to  the  holy  women  returning  from 
the  sepulchre;  to  Simon  Peter;  to  the  two  disciples  on  the 
way  to  Emmaus;  to  the  eleven  Apostles;  to  the  twelve 
Apostles,  Thomas  now  being  present,  and  who  was  bidden 
by  the  Master  to  come  and  put  his  fingers  into  the  wounds 
of  the  hands,  and  feet,  and  side,  and  believe;  to  the  five 
Apostles  and  two  disciples  at  the  sea  of  Tiberius;  to  the 
eleven  Apostles  on  the  way  to  Gallilee;  to  the  five  hundred 
brethren ;  to  Jacob ;  to  the  Eleven  Apostles  in  the  upper 
room  at  Jesusalem;  afterwards  to  the  same  on  the  way  to 
Bethany,  from  whence  Christ  ascended  into  Heaven.  And 
finally  He  appeared  to  St.  Paul,  on  the  way  to  Damascus. 
Not  for  a  second  or  two  did  He  come  and  go;  no,  He  re- 
mained with  them  for  sometime,  conversing  with  them,  and 
teaching  them. 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  the  witnesses  of  the 
Resurrection  were  men  worthy  of  the  greatest  faith.  They 
were  men  of  simple  minds,  honest,  and  God-fearing.  They 
were  men  who  were  not  likely  to  be  deceived,  nor  subject 
to  hallucination.  They  were  skeptical  concerning  the  Re- 
surrection of  Christ;  for  when  the  women  announced  to 
them  that  they  had  seen  the  risen  Christ,  they  would  not 
believe.  Yea,  when  the  same  Christ  appeared  to  them  they 
took  Him  for  a  spirit,  and  they  would  not  believe  that  He 
had  flesh  and  blood  until  they  touched  Him  and  ate  with 
Him.  And  we  know  the  great  incredulity  of  Thomas  when 
the  other  eleven  had  told  him  that  they  had  seen  the  risen 
Christ:  "Unless",  said  he,  "I  shall  see  in  His  hands  the 
print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  finger  into  the  place  of  the 
nails,  and  put  my  hand  into  His  side,  I  will  not  believe." 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  it  is  certain  that 
the  body  of  Christ  was  buried,  and  it  is  no  less  certain  that 
the  sepulchre  was  found  empty  on  the  third  day.  Both  the 
Jews  and  rationalists  admit  so  much.  What  then  became  of 


RESURRECTION  OF  CHRIST  69 

the  body  of  Christ?  Was  it  swallowed  up  by  the  earth?  It 
certainly  was  not,  else  the  linen  bands  and  napkin  would 
not  have  been  found  within  the  tomb  neatly  folded  and 
laid  aside.  Did  the  disciples  steal  the  body?  The  Jewish 
priests  told  the  soldiers  to  say  that  when  they  were  asleep, 
the  disciples  came  and  stole  the  body;  but  St.  Augustine 
answered  this  fiction  some  fifteen  hundred  years  ago: — 
"If  the  soldiers  were  asleep,"  said  he,  "what  could  they 
see?  And  if  they  saw  nothing,  how  could  they  testify ?" 
Roman  soldiers  asleep  when  on  guard !  Death  was  the  pen- 
alty. The  Apostles  stole  the  body  of  Christ!  Why  were 
they  not  accused  and  punished?  To  violate  a  tomb  was  a 
most  serious  offense,  and  the  crime  was  punished  accord- 
ingly. 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  against  the  vision 
theory  of  Renan  and  Straus,  we  answer  that  He  appeared 
not  to  one  or  two  disciples  who  were  disposed  to  believe  in 
His  resurrection,  but  to  several  hundred,  many  of  whom  were 
very  skeptical  about  it;  that  He  appeared  not  in  one  place, 
but  in  several ;  that  He  did  not  appear  and  vanish  in  a  second, 
but  that  the  apparitions  lasted  several  minutes;  that  those 
who  saw  Him  conversed  with  Him,  ate  with  Him,  and 
touched  Him;  that  the  apparitions  continued  during  a  per- 
iod of  at  least  sixty  days;  that  the  Apostles  remembered 
the  minutest  circumstances  of  them;  and  that  their  faith 
in  them  did  not  cease  after  the  visions  ceased,  but  grew 
stronger,  day  by  day.  All  these  circumstances  are  opposed 
by  their  very  nature  to  an  hallucination,  and  make  the 
theory  most  unreasonable  and  untenable. 

Against  the  spiritual  manifestation  of  Keim  Ewald 
and  Schenkel,  we  respond,  that  the  Apostles  saw  the 
empty  sepulchre,  and  heard  the  angels  saying  that  Christ 
was  no  longer  there;  that  Christ  Himself  said  that  He  was 
not  a  spirit,  but  had  flesh  and  blood ;  and  that  the  Apostles 
touched  Christ's  body  with  their  own  hands,  and  saw  Him 
eating. 

And  finally  in  answer  to  Weizzacker  and  Martineau 
who  hold  that  the  Apostles  simply  believed  and  preached 
the  resurrection  in  a  general  and  indefinite  way,  and  that 
the  belief  in  and  preaching  of  the  actual  resurrection  was 


70  RESURRECTION  OF  CHRIST 

an  after  growth  and  development,  we  say  that  this  theory, 
besides  contradicting  historical  facts  is  unable  to  explain 
how  the  apostles,  who  before  the  death  of  Christ  were  weak, 
timid,  vacillating  and  despondent,  became  immediately 
after,  brave,  strong,  fearless  and  indomitable;  so  much  so 
that  they  went  into  the  very  city  where  Christ  had  been 
crucified  and  preached  His  resurrection  to  the  very  men 
who  had  put  Him  to  death. 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  if  the  truth  of 
the  death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  did  not  carry 
with  it  moral  responsibility,  it  would  never  be  questioned. 
With  it  as  with  Christianity  itself,  men  who  do  not  want  to 
curb  their  passions  and  appetites,  who  are  entirely  satisfied 
with  the  present  world,  who  desire  or  seek  not  after  the 
higher,  better  life,  wish  that  it  were  not  so.  And  like  the  poor 
drowning  man  who  snatches  at  the  floating  straw,  so  do 
these  men  eagerly  embrace  any  theory,  no  matter  how  weak 
it  may  be,  that  runs  counter  to  the  death  and  resurrection 
of  Jesus  Christ.  In  the  whole  range  of  history  and  science, 
there  is  no  fact  or  theory  supported  by  such  strong  evi- 
dences. And  yet  these  very  men  who  doubt  it,  accept  the 
latest  historical  opinion  or  scientific  theory  on  the  most 
slender  evidence.  If  Jesus  Christ  did  not  die  and  rise 
again,  we  can  know  nothing  of  the  past;  only  what  our 
own  eyes  see,  or  our  own  hands  touch,  or  our  own  ears  hear 
can  we  be  certain  of.  We  must  become  absolute  skeptics.  But 
this  is  most  unreasonable,  and  would  destroy  our  very 
nature,  and  the  mind  is  appalled  at  the  thought  and  revolts 
against  such  a  doctrine.  Yes,  the  mind  can  reason  from 
effects  to  causes,  can  see  behind  the  material,  the  spiritual, 
can  trust  the  testimony  of  olhers.  We  can  know  from  his- 
tory what  has  taken  place  in  the  past,  and  history,  the  best 
of  history — the  four  gospels — which  have  stood  the  blunt 
of  the  blows,  and  the  closest  scrutiny  and  criticism  of  the 
infidels  for  eighteen  centuries  to  make  them  false — tell  us 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  crucified,  put  to  death,  buried,  and 
that  He  arose  again  as  He  had  foretold,  and  was  seen  by 
many  disciples  in  various  places  with  whom  He  conversed 
and  (hiring  a  period  of  almost  forty  days. 


RESURRECTION  OP  CHRIST  71 

Historian  after  historian,  in  one  way  or  another,  for 
eighteen  hundred  years  has  been  rehearsing  the  gospel's 
narrative.  The  brightest  minds  in  philosophy,  in  science, 
in  history,  in  literature,  in  art,  and  the  noblest  souls  in 
every  age  and  country,  have  believed  in  it.  This  belief 
has  transformed  the  world.  It  has  made  life  worth  liv- 
ing. It  has  been  back  of  all  the  movements  in  the  world 
for  the  real  uplifting  of  man,  and  making  this  a  better, 
brighter  and  more  beautiful  world  to  live  in.  The  number 
of  those  who  have  questioned  it  has  been  indeed  most  insig- 
nificant; they  constitute  but  an  infinitesimal  fraction  of 
the  human  race;  and  affect  not  the  universal  consent  and 
belief  of  man  in  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ. 

My  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  it  was  fitting  and 
proper  that  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  should  be  exalted 
by  His  heavenly  Father  and  rise  triumphant  from  the  dead, 
because  in  obedience  to  Him,  He  had  humbled  Himself  even 
to  the  death  of  the  Cross.  It  was  fitting  and  proper  that 
Jesus  Christ  should  rise  the  third  day  to  strengthen  our 
faith  in  His  divinity  and  humanity.  Three  days  in  th3 
tomb  was  sufficient  time  in  which  to  show  that  He  was 
really  dead.  And  to  prove  that  He  was  divine,  it  behooved 
Him  to  rise  quickly  from  the  grave,  and  not  to  allow  too 
long  an  interval  to  elapse  between  His  death  and  resurrec- 
tion. 

The  Resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  should  fill  all  true 
sincere  Christians  with  hope  and  joy.  Christ  is  our  head, 
and  where  the  head  is,  the  body  should  also  be.  Christ  is 
our  exemplar,  and  the  likeness  should  be  conformed  to  the 
Model.  Jesus  Christ  rose  glorious,  immortal  and  impas- 
sible from  the  grave: — "Death  was  swallowed  up  in  vic- 
tory." We  too  shall  rise  glorious,  immortal  and  impassible 
if  we  crucify  the  old  man,  Adam,  and  put  on  the  new  man, 
Jesus  Christ,  and  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Savior  unto 
the  end  in  humility,  obedience  and  mortification : — "O 
grave,  where  is  thy  victory!  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting!" 


SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — It  is  with  feelings  of  fear  and 
dread,  commingled  with  hope  and  joy,  that  Christians  should 
meditate  on  today's  Gospel.  For  therein  are  pointed  out 
the  great  physical  commotions  which  will  precede  the  end 
of  the  world;  therein  is  described  the  glorious  coming  of 
the  crucified  Christ;  and  therein  are  foretold  the  awaken- 
ing, the  arising,  and  the  coming  of  the  dead  to  judgment. 

The  first  part  of  the  gospel  was  a  prophecy  about  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem.  And  if  the  signs  which  Christ 
foretold  would  forerun  that  event,  were  more  than  literally 
fulfilled  (as  we  shall  see  they  were),  what  must  we  expect 
about  the  signs  which  will  precede  the  end  of  the  world? 
Although  graphic  and  terrible,  as  placed  before  us  by  the 
inspired  writer  in  the  second  part  of  the  gospel,  we  know 
that  they  will  fall  very  far  short  of  the  reality.  Let  us  then 
with  attentive  minds  and  docile  hearts  meditate,  this  morn- 
ing, on  these  great  truths  as  foretold  us  by  Jesus  Christ 
Himself. 

"When  ye  shall  see  the  abomination  of  desolation, 
which  was  spoken  of  by  Daniel,  the  prophet,  standing  in 
the  holy  place;  let  him  who  readeth,  understand.'" 

My  brethren,  Jesusalem  was  twice  besieged;  first  by 
Cestius,  about  the  year  68,  when  he  encamped  himself  six 
miles  from  Jerusalem,  and  then  by  Titus,  about  four  years 
afterwards.  The  "Abomination  of  Desolation'"  happened 
during  the  siege  of  Cestius.  .Shortly  after  the  investment, 
they  took  up  their  quarters  in  the  Temple  of  JerusaJem, 
and  it  became  the  seat  of  their  tyranny.  Not  content  with 
shedding  blood  in  the  very  courts  of  the  Temple,  they  mim- 
icked the  sacred  functions,  and  drew  lots  for  a  Sovereign 
Pontiff.  A  man,  not  even  of  the  Tribe  of  Levi  was  pitched 
upon.  They  invested  him  with  the  ephod,  and  before  the 
eyes  of  the  weeping  priests  forced  him  to  go  through  the 
sacred  rites. 
72 


SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD  73 

"Then  let  those  who  are  in  Judea  flee  to  the  mountains. 
And  let  not  him  who  is  on  the  house-top  come  down  to 
take  anything  out  of  the  house.  And  let  not  him  who  is 
in-  the  field  go  back  to  take  his  coat." 

My  brethren,  at  this  sign  of  the  "Abomination  of  Deso- 
lation", the  apostles  as  they  had  been  forewarned  by  Christ, 
took  to  flight.  They  took  to  flight  before  Titus  came,  and 
surrounded  the  city  by  ditches  and  fortifications,  before 
John  of  Gaskala  closed  the  gates  of  Jerusalem;  before  the 
robber  hordes  camping  around  about,  began  to  massacre 
the  fugitives,  before  the  Roman  General  wheeled  up  his 
troops  and  hedged  in  the  doomed  city,  to  make  it  the 
tomb  of  Judea.  Yes,  they  took  to  flight  and  fled  to  the 
mountains  where  from  their  hiding  places,  beyond  the  Jor- 
dan, they  beheld  the  "Great  Wrath"  falling  upon  Jerusa- 
lem, and  in  the  frightful  sacking  saw  the  fulfillment  of  the 
desolation  predicted  by  Jesus  Christ. 

"Then  if  any  man  shall  say  to  you:  'Lo!  Here  is  the 
Christ,  or  there,  believe  it  not.  For  false  Chris ts  and  false 
prophets  will  arise  and  will  show  great  signs  and  wonders 
so  as  to  deceive  (if  possible),  even  the  elect.  Behold,  I 
have  told  you  before.  If  therefore,  they  shall  say  to  you; 
'Behold,  He  is  in  the  desert;  go  ye  not  out;  behold  in  the 
closets' ;  believe  it  not.  For  as  lightning  cometh  forth  from 
the  East  and  appeareth  even  unto  the  West,  so  also  will  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  be." 

My  brethren,  never  was  the  spirit  of  deception  so  po- 
tent as  when  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  was  close  at  hand. 
From  Josephus  the  most  celebrated  Jewish  historian,  we 
learn  that  at  the  call  of  Teudas,  the  populace  rushed  to 
the  Jordan,  carrying  with  them  their  goods,  believing  that 
at  their  approach  the  waters  would  stand  apart,  as  the 
waters  of  the  Red  Sea  had  done  at  the  command  of  Moses. 
From  the  same  historian,  we  learn  that  over  thirty  thou- 
sand Jews  went  up  into  the  desert,  led  there  by  a  false 
prophet,  and  waited  upon  the  Mount  of  Olives  for  the 
walls  to  fall  before  them,  as  of  old,  the  walls  of  Jerico  had 
fallen.  From  St.  Matthew  we  learn,  that  at  this  time 
Simon,  the  magician,  was  active  among  the  Jews,  working 
his  deceptive  wonders,  and  in  their  midst  were  hanging  the 


74 


two  sons  of  Judas,  the  Gaulonite,  who  had  been  put  to 
death  for  renewing  the  sedition  which  had  been  set  on  foot 
by  their  father. 

"And  woe  to  those  who  are  with  child,  and  to  those 
who  give  suck  in  those  days.  But  pray  that  your  flight  be 
not  in  the  winter,  or  on  the  Sabbath.  For  there  shall  be 
then  great  tribulation,  such  as  has  not  been  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  till  now,  neither  shall  be.  And  unless 
those  days  had  been  shortened,  no  flesh  will  be  saved,  but 
for  the  sake  of  the  elect  those  days  shall  be  shortened." 

My  brethren,  the  Jews  rebelled  against  the  rule  of 
Caligula  and  Claudius.  This  rebellion  assumed  an  open 
and  hostile  revolt  under  Nero. 

But  the  Jewish  leaders  themselves  were  not  united, 
and  as  a  consequence,  their  people  became  divided,  and 
separated  into  hostile  camps.  Peoples  and  cities  now  flung 
themselves  against  each  other,  and  blood  flowed  in  every 
land.  In  Gaul,  in  Germany,  on  the  Danube,  in  Britany,  and 
even  to  the  frontiers  of  the  Parthian  Empire,  the  fratrici- 
dal war  continued  in  all  its  madness  and  fury.  Those  who 
escaped  the  sword  perished  otherwise.  Under  the  reign  of 
Claudius,  a  famine  became  universal.  And  during  one 
Autumn  over  thirty  thousand  died  at  Rome.  The  earth 
began  to  shake.  Jerusalem  was  not  the  only  spot  disturbed. 
At  Naples,  the  soil  began  to  burn  and  smoke.  Crete,  Apamea 
and  Laodicea  trembled  on  their  bases.  Hell  was  let  loose 
on  the  disciples  of  Christ.  Some  were  starved  to  death 
in  prison  and  chains;  others  were  stretched  and  tortured 
to  death  on  the  rack ;  some  were  thrown  to  the  wild  beasts, 
and  others  were  saturated  with  pitch  and  rosin  and  set 
on  fire,  to  serve  as  torches  to  light  up  the  gardens  of  Nero. 
Titus,  the  scourge  of  God,  as  he  Himself  avowed,  wheeled 
up  his  groat  army  and  hedged  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  The 
Jews  had  neglected  their  defenses;  their  provisions  were 
Boon  gone;  the  Koman  army  first  starved  them,  and  then 
began  the  siege  and  massacre.  In  seven  months  over  ten  hun- 
dred thousand  perished  ;  and  those  who  survived  the  sword 
were  led  away  captive  by  the  nations.  Surely,  if  the  days  had 
not  been  shortened,  all  flesh  would  have  perished.  And 


SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD  75 

"where    the    carcasses    were,    there    also    were   the    eagles 
gathered." 

"Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days  the 
sun  shall  be  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her 
light,  and  the  stars  shall  fall  from  the  heavens,  and  the 
powers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken." 

My  brethren,  God,  Who  seeth  from  eternity  to  eternity, 
has  a  thousand  years  as  one  moment.  With  Him  there  is  no 
past  nor  future,  but  an  ever  eternal  present.  Hence,  He  says : 
"Immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days,"  meaning 
the  taking  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  signs  preced- 
ing the  end  of  the  world  shall  begin  to  come  to  pass. 

Since  Jerusalem  was  only  a  small  part  of  the  civilized 
world,  and  the  Jewish  people  only  a  fraction  of  the  human 
race,  must  we  not  expect  more  than  a  literal  fulfillment 
of  the  signs  which  will  forerun  the  second  event?  Must 
we  not  expect  that  the  signs  which  are  to  precede  the  end 
of  the  world,  and  the  destruction  of  the  human  race  will 
be  more  awful  and  stupendous  still?  The  world  is  about 
to  expire,  and  the  human  race  is  about  to  come  to  an  end. 
The  gospel  gives  only  briefly  and  summarily  the  signs;  but 
in  themselves,  they  are  sufficient  to  send  the  blood,  chilled 
and  freezing,  through  our  veins. 

In  the  first  event,  the  physical  commotions  were  con- 
fined to  our  earth  and  its  inhabitants ;  in  the  second  event, 
the  whole  planetary  system  is  to  be  involved,  and  super- 
human agents  are  to  be  employed.  In  the  first  event  we  had 
volcanoes  and  earthquakes,  famines,  plagues  and  bloody 
wars;  in  the  second  event,  the  whole  heavens  are  to  be 
moved.  The  sun,  the  centre  of  the  planetary  system,  the 
source  of  light,  and  heat,  and  physical  life  is  to  become 
dark  and  lifeless;  the  moon  is  to  grow  pale;  the  stars  are 
to  fall  from  the  heavens;  the  seas  are  to  roar  and  lash 
themselves  into  the  wildest  fury;  the  angels  are  to  awake 
the  dead  by  trumpets,  whose  sounds  will  reach  the  utmost 
bounds  of  the  earth ;  the  dead  are  to  arise,  the  damned  most 
hideous,  and  the  just  most  beautiful ;  and  then  Christ  in 
all  His  power  and  majesty  will  be  wafted  down  to  the  earth 
upon  the  clouds. 


76  SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD 

It  matters  not  how  all  this  is  to  be  done;  whether  God 
shall  curse  and  blight  directly  the  sun  into  barrenness,  or 
whether  he  shall  so  intersperse  the  clouds  as  to  prevent 
its  light  and  heat  from  reaching  us;  whether  it  shall  be 
the  moon  unenlightened  by  the  sun,  or  the  earth  ceasing  to 
rotate  that  will  give  us  the  moonless  and  starless  nights; 
whether  it  shall  be  the  moon  or  the  earth  that  will  cause 
the  upheaving  of  the  waters  of  the  deep ;  whether  it  shall 
be  the  planets  moving  out  of  their  orbs  or  some  atmospheri- 
cal phenomenon  that  will  cause  the  extraordinary  move- 
ments of  the  entire  machinery  of  the  heavens;  whether  the 
angels  shall  blow  real  trumpets  or  cause  the  reverberating 
sounds  otherwise;  whether  it  shall  be  the  same  identical 
cross  upon  which  Christ  died  or  a  perfect  likeness  of  it 
which  will  appear  luminous  in  the  heavens, — I  say  all  this 
concerns  us  not.  They  are  speculative  questions.  We  have 
the  effects.  It  was  more  for  the  purpose  of  Christ  to  de- 
scribe them  than  to  point  out  their  causes. 

We  know  that  darkness,  darker  than  Erebus  itself,  will 
e'nvelope  the  days  and  nights;  that  ignited  bodies,  carrying 
death  and  destruction  will  fall  from  the  heavens;  that  the 
seas  will  roar  and  rage  and  chafe  themselves  into  the 
wildest  fury;  that  all  things  around,  below  and  above  us 
will  show  signs  of  an  expiring  world;  that  a  trumpet-like 
noise  will  pierce  and  rend  the  whole  heavens  until  the  dead 
arise;  that  a  cross  like  unto  the  one  upon  which  the 
Saviour  died,  but  now  more  luminous  than  the  diamonds, 
and  more  beautiful  than  the  pearls  will  appear  in  the 
heavens;  then  Christ  will  appear.  Shall  I  attempt  to  de- 
scribe Him  ?  No ;  human  speech  is  powerless.  Any  descrip- 
tion of  Him  must  fall  almost  infinitely  short  of  the  reality. 
The  beauty  of  His  glorified  body  will  be  so  ravishing  that 
to  gaze  upon  it  for  a  moment  would  be  a  sufficient  reward 
for  a  life  of  trial  and  suffering.  Christ  shall  come  in  the 
heavens  preceded  by  the  cross,  the  ensign  of  man's  redemp- 
tion. It  is  probable  too,  that  the  crown  of  thorns  which 
had  been  pressed  down  upon  His  head  and  driven  into  His 
brow  will  be  there;  that  the  nails  which  pierced  His  hands 
and  feet  will  be  there;  and  that  the  scourges  which  lashed 
and  tore  His  flesh  will  be  there,  all  shining  and  resplend- 


SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD  77 

ent.  A  heavenly  host  shall  accompany  Christ.  At  His  first 
coming  He  was  alone,  and  came  in  poverty,  lowliness  and 
meekness,  but  now  He  is  accompanied  by  the  Seraphim  and 
Cherubim,  the  Thrones,  Dominations  and  Powers  and  comes 
in  opulence,  might  and  grandeur.  He  came  first  as  our 
humble  Kedeemer,  but  now  He  comes  as  our  terrible  Judge. 
At  His  first  coming  men  could  refuse  to  believe  in  Him; 
but  now  they  shall  be  compelled  to  acknowledge  Him  as 
their  Lord,  King  and  Judge. 

"And  then  shall  the  tribes  of  earth  mourn."  Yes;  all 
who  have  rejected  Christ,  either  by  refusing  to  believe  in 
Him,  or  by  not  conforming  their  lives  to  His,  shall  mourn 
exceedingly  when  they  behold  Christ  coming  in  the  clouds. 
The  unavailing  wailing  of  the  infidels,  the  Jews,  and  all 
lost  souls,  Christians,  as  well  as  Pagans  on  beholding 
Christ  whom  they  had  rejected,  language  is  powerless  to 
portray.  They  shall  be  compelled  to  look  upon  Christ  who 
was  their  Saviour,  but  now  their  Judge.  They  shall  be 
compelled  to  look  upon  those  wounds  which  were  received 
and  borne  for  them  in  vain.  They  shall  be  compelled  to 
look  upon  that  Cross,  the  instrument  of  their  Kedemption 
which  they  despised  in  life,  but  which  now  rises  up  in  judg- 
ment against  them.  To  whom  shall  they  go?  The  time  of 
mercy  is  over.  Whither  shall  they  flee?  Christ  and  His 
Cross  are  there.  Fear,  remorse  and  despair  will  seize  them 
and  rend  their  souls  through  and  through.  In  vain  shall 
they  call  upon  the  mountains  to  fall  upon  them!  In  vain 
shall  they  call  upon  God  to  annihilate  them!  They  must 
now  look  upon  Christ  as  their  Judge,  Whom  they  refused  to 
look  upon  as  their  Saviour.  They  must  now  look  upon  that 
Cross  as  a  witness,  which  they  refused  to  look  upon  as  the 
instrument  of  their  Redemption.  There  they  must  stand 
with  their  gaze  fixed  upon  that  scene  until  they  hear  their 
sentence  and  are  driven  back  into  Hell ! 

On  the  other  hand  those  who  received,  heard  and  fol- 
lowed Christ,  and  loved  the  Cross,  will  be  filled  with  inef- 
fable joy  and  consolation,  when  they  see  that  Cross  and 
Christ,  and  the  heavenly  army  coming  in  the  clouds.  They 
shall  stand  and  behold  that  glorious,  triumphant  scene  in 
great  peace,  hope  and  confidence.  They  loved  Christ  and 


78  SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD 

His  Cross,  accepted  His  teaching,  and  were  His  true  fol- 
lowers and  subjects.  They  come  now  to  hail  Him  as  their 
King  and  receive  the  reward  of  their  loyalty  and  service. 
Their  joy  and  gladness  no  man  can  tell.  It  will  be  a  fore- 
taste of  Heaven.  In  ecstasy  they  shall  stand  and  gaze  upon 
that  scene  until  they  are  received  into  the  bosom  of  the 
Infinite  Beauty,  Goodness  and  Truth! 

"Amen,  I  say  to  you  that  this  generation  shall  not 
pass  away  till  all  these  things  be  done." 

My  brethren,  no  one  knows  the  meaning  of  that  word, 
"generation".  Whether  we  agree  with  that  greatest  of  all 
scriptural  scholars — St.  Jerome,  that  it  refers  to  the  human 
race,  and  especially  the  Jewish  people;  or  with  St.  John 
Chrysostom  that  it  refers  to  this  new  generation  of  faith- 
ful believers,  or  with  a  third  class  of  interpreters,  that  it 
refers  to  that  period  or  age  of  time  which  has  already  set 
in — I  say  it  matters  not  which  opinion  we  embrace,  for 
no  one  knows  when  that  time  wTill  come. 

The  time  of  the  end  of  the  world  is  a  secret  hidden 
within  the  recesses  of  the  bosom  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. 
Neither  the  angels,  nor  the  Saints,  nor  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
nor  Christ  as  Man  knows  the  time;  for  in  the  next  verse 
Christ  Himself  tells  us,  ''That  hour  and  day  no  one  know- 
eth,  no,  not  the  angels  in  Heaven,  but  the  Father  alone." 
Nevertheless  from  many  places  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures 
we  are  taught  that  certain  events  must  first  have  come  to 
pass.  Theologians  tell  us  that  the  gospel  must  first  have 
been  preached  to  all  nations;  that  there  must  have  been 
first  an  apostasy  of  the  nations  from  the  true  faith ;  that 
anti-Christ  must  first  have  come;  that  the  Jews  must  first 
have  been  converted  through  the  preaching  of  Enoch  and 
Elias,  who  will  return  to  this  world  again;  and  that  wars 
and  famines  and  earthquakes  and  pestilences  must  first  have 
occurred.  These  events  must  all  have  taken  place  before  the 
immediate  signs  described  will  begin  to  come  to  pass. 
Whether  any  of  Ihem  have  already  happened  let  each  one 
determine  for  himself.  It  seems  that  some  of  them  have 
come  to  pass.  Ft  seems  that  the  gospel  has  been  preached  to 
all  peoples,  that  there  has  been  an  apostasy  of  the  nations, 
and  that  anti-Christ  is  in  the  world  in  the  open  enemies 


SERMON  ON  THE  END  OF  THE  WORLD 


79 


of  Christ  and  His  kingdom.  We  have  had  earthquakes  and 
wars  and  famines;  but  we  know  that  Enoch  and  Elias  have 
not  yet  appeared,  and  that  the  remnant  of  Jewish  people 
have  not  come  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 

But  my  brethren,  we  know  with  certainty  that  the  end 
of  the  world  will  be  immediately  preceded  by  great  signs, 
We  know  with  certainty  that  the  dead  will  be  awakened 
by  the  angels,  and  that  the  bodies  of  all  will  rise.     We 
know  with   certainty   that  the   Cross   will   appear   in   the 
heavens,  and  that  Christ  will  come  in  majesty  and  power/ 
to  judge  both  the  living  and  the  dead.     Just  as  surely  as 
the  present  forms  of  things  will  pass  away,  just  so  surely! 
will  these  things  predicted  and  announced  by  Jesus  Christ, 
be  fulfilled.    Stop,  reflect  and  resolve  ere  it  is  too  late! 


SERMON  ON  THE   PRIMITIVE   RELIGION. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — Religion 
upon  which  I  am  to  speak  is  the  most  interesting,  neces- 
sary and  sublimest  of  all  subjects.  Compared  with  it,  the 
social  and  political  questions,  yea,  even  the  natural  sciences 
become  flat,  insipid  and  uninviting.  In  importance  what 
are  they  compared  with  religion?  They  deal  with  earth 
and  time,  whilst  religion  deals  with  heaven  and  eternity. 
In  the  study  of  the  social  and  political  questions,  the  mind 
cannot  get  certainty,  whilst  in  the  principles  of  true  relig- 
ion it  finds  serene  rest.  The  physical  sciences  do  not  reach 
back  far  enough  and  deal  with  earth  and  matter  and  sec- 
ondary causes,  whilst  religion  solves  the  deepest  inquiries 
of  the  soul.  It  tells  us  from  whence  we  came,  what  we  are 
here  for,  and  whither  we  are  going.  These  are  questions 
which  demand  an  answer  by  all  serious  minded  people.  Why 
then  is  it,  we  may  ask,  that  men  will  devote  their  nights 
and  days  to  the  study  of  the  former,  and  will  scarcely  give 
any  time  to  the  study  of  the  latter  question?  No  doubt 
the  teachers  of  Israel  are  partly  to  blame.  But  the  cause 
lies  deeper.  Men  are  unphilosophical,  even  those  of  the 
best  parts.  The  world  is  near  and  imposing  and  deceitful; 
whilst  heaven  is  distant  and  its  claims,  modest  and 
truthful. 

Religion !  How  few  understand  what  is  implied  in 
that  term !  Like  liberty,  it  is  in  the  mouth  of  every  one, 
but  fewer  still  comprehend  what  it  really  means.  Religion 
is  the  bond  which  unites  man  to  his  Creator.  It  implies 
doctrines  and  precepts,  forms  of  worship  and  authority. 
It  has  been  in  the  world  from  the  beginning,  from  the  crea- 
tion of  man.  substantially  the  same,  and  it  will  be  in  the 
world  until  the  consummation  of  the  ages. 

Religion  according  to  its  epochs  and  the  fulness  of  its 
revelation  may  be  divided  into  the  Primitive,  the  Mosaic 
nnd  the  Christian  religion.  The  first  existed  from  the  time 
80 


SERMON  ON  THE  PRIMITIVE  RELIGION  81 

of  Adam  to  Moses,  and  was  given  through  the  Patriarchs  to 
man.  The  second  existed  from  the  time  of  Moses  to  Christ, 
and  was  given  through  Moses  and  the  Prophets.  And  the 
third  existed  from  Christ  unto  now,  and  will  exist  until  the 
end  of  the  world,  and  was  given  through  Christ  and  the 
inspired  Apostles. 

From  the  historical  scriptures  and  the  traditions  of 
the  nations  we  learn  that  God  from  the  beginning  often 
appeared  to  man,  conversed  with  him,  and  made  known 
to  him  His  counsels.  Thus  did  He  appear  to  Adam  and 
Eve,  to  Cain,  to  Noe  and  to  Abraham.  Hence  among  the 
most  remote  nations  who  had  no  intercourse  with  one 
another,  we  find  doctrines  and  precepts  and  sacred  rites. 
Those  people  believed  in  God,  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  the 
universe.  They  believed  that  He  had  made  man  to  His  own 
image  and  likeness ;  that  He  put  him  in  this  world  on  trial 
and  probation;  that  man  fell,  and  for  this  was  driven  out 
of  Paradise.  They  called  that  age  the  "Golden  Age",  and 
that  state  the  "State  of  Happy  Innocence",  and  they  be- 
lieved that  a  future  Redeemer  would  come  and  restore  to 
man,  what  he  had  lost  through  the  fall  of  our  first  parents. 
The  moral  precepts  of  this  Primitive  religion  embraced  the 
fear  and  love  of  God;  the  reverence  of  children  for  their 
parents  and  elders ;  pure  conjugal  love  between  man  and  wife; 
the  sacredness  of  life;  and  hospitality  even  to  strangers. 
Although  we  do  not  know  all  the  primitive  rites,  we  know, 
however,  that  the  Sabbath  was  sanctified,  that  the  name  of 
the  Lord  was  solemnly  invoked,  and  that  sacrifices  and 
oblations  were  offered.  Thus  do  we  read,  Enos  called 
solemnly  upon  the  Lord;  that  Abel,  Cain,  Melchisedech  and 
Noe  offered  to  God;  that  Jacob  vowed  solemnly;  and  that 
circumcision  was  the  sign  of  the  covenant  established  be- 
tween God  and  the  posterity  of  Abraham. 

Before  passing  over  to  the  Mosaic  religion  I  wish  you 
to  observe  that  the  Primitive  religion  was  one ;  that  it  poss- 
essed authority,  and  that  a  sacrifice  was  the  act  of  worship 
by  which  the  dominion  of  God  was  fittingly  acknowledged. 
I  wish  to  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Primitive 
religion  bore  marks  of  its  divine  origin ;  first,  because,  God, 
at  divers  times  spoke  miraculously  from  heaven  to  confirm 


82  SERMON  ON  THE  PRIMITIVE  RELIGION 

it;  and  secondly,  because  its  doctrines  were  most  consist- 
ent, harmonious,  holy  and  useful  to  man. 

After  the  deluge  with  the  wonderful  increase  of  the 
human  race,  and  the  great  growth  of  crime,  mankind  had 
almost  lost  the  certain  knowledge  of  the  Primitive  religion. 
To  prevent  the  universal  shipwreck  of  the  faith,  and  to  pre- 
serve on  earth  a  knowledge  of  the  future  Redeemer,  God 
made  a  covenant  with  Abraham.  He  chose  him  and  his 
seed  to  be  the  elect  people;  and  to  their  guardianship  He 
committed  the  true  religion,  and  the  faith  in  the  future 
Messiah.  When  therefore  the  posterity  of  Abraham  had 
become  multiplied  like  the  stars,  God  through  Moses  un- 
folded more  the  doctrine  of  the  Primitive  religion,  pro- 
mulgated the  moral  law,  instituted  a  religion  and  civil 
society,  and  promised  that  it  would  last  until  the  fullness 
of  time.  The  new  religion  was  called  the  Mosaic,  because  it 
was  given  through  Moses;  and  it  was  called  the  "Written 
jLaw",  because  it  was  consigned  to  writing  and  committed 
to  the  Levitical  order  whose  duty  it  was  to  guard  and 
explain  it.  And  in  the  course  of  time,  through  the  voice 
of  the  Prophets,  that  the  elect  might  be  better  prepared  for 
the  Christian  religion,  the  Mosaic  religion  received  a  fur- 
ther development.  Let  us  proceed  to  a  more  minute  study 
of  it. 

The  Mosaic  religion  taught  more  clearly  those  doc- 
trines which  had  been  revealed  to  the  Patriarchs.  Thus  did 
Moses  and  the  Prophets  teach  more  clearly  the  nature  and 
unity  of  God:  "I  am  who  I  am;  Hear  O  Israel,  the  Lord 
thy  God  is  one  God."  The  Mosaic  religion  taught  more 
explicitly  the  providence  of  God,  His  eternity,  omnipres- 
ence, justice,  mercy,  goodness  and  other  attributes.  It  nour- 
ished constantly  the  faith  and  hope  in  a  future  redeemer.  It 
affirmed  emphatically  the  liberty  of  God,  the  immortality 
of  the  soul,  and  the  existence  of  a  future  life  in  which 
Jehovah  would  reward  the  good  and  punish  the  wicked  ac- 
cording to  their  works. 

The  moral  precepts  of  the  Mosaic  religion  were  the 
"Ten  Commandments"  which  were  given  amidst  thunder  and 
lightning  upon  Mount  Sinai.  In  them  we  find  all  of  man's 
duties;  his  duties  towards  God,  his  neighbor,  and  himself. 


SERMON  ON  THE  PRIMITIVE  RELIGION  83 

All  things  in  the  Decalogue  are  directed  towards  this;  that 
man  may  love  God  supreme,  and  his  neighbor  as  himself, 
which  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  whole  law.  The  Mosaic  relig- 
ion had  its  ceremonial  and  judicial  precepts.  The  former 
prescribed  the  rites  and  sacrifices,  determined  the  sacra- 
ments,- specified  the  feasts,  and  imposed  the  sanctification 
of  the  Sabbath.  The  latter  exhibited  the  form  of  their  civil 
government.  It  determined  the  relation  of  the  Jews  to 
their  neighboring  nations,  and  their  relations  to  each  other. 
The  Mosaic  religion,  like  the  Primitive,  bore  marks  of  its 
divine  origin.  Moses,  its  author,  was  a  man  of  great  sanc- 
tity and  confirmed  his  religion  by  miracles  and  prophecies. 

That  Moses  was  a  man  of  remarkable  goodness  and 
holiness,  besides  the  scriptures,  we  have  the  unanimous  and 
constant  testimony  of  the  Jews  and  Christians,  and  even 
the  Mohammedans.  Moses  very  often  spoke  in  the  name  of 
God,  and  the  people  believed  that  God  spoke  through  him. 
The  prophecies  which  he  uttered,  and  the  miracles  which  he 
worked  were  in  confirmation  of  his  divine  mission.  This 
we  know  from  his  own  words  and  his  manner  of  action. 

Of  the  miracles  worked  by  Moses,  we  may  enumerate 
the  "Ten  Plagues"  which  were  sent  upon  the  Egyptians ;  the 
passing  of  the  Israelites  over  the  Ked  Sea,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  Pharoah's  army  in  hot  pursuit;  the  quails  and 
manna  which  fell  from  heaven  and  nourished  the  Jews  dur- 
ing their  pilgrimage ;  the  cloud  by  day,  and  the  pillar  of  fire  by 
night,  which  went  before  them  guiding  them  in  the  desert; 
the  opening  of  the  earth  which  swallowed  up  Core,  Dathan 
and  Abiron  in  punishment  of  their  revolt;  the  miraculous 
water  from  the  rock ;  and  the  healing  of  all  those  who  look- 
ed upon  the  brazen  serpent  held  up  by  the  hands  of  Moses. 
Besides  the  prophecies  which  announced  the  coming  of 
Christ,  Moses  had  foretold  the  "Ten  Plagues"  the  miraculous 
feeding  in  the  desert,  and  the  punishment  of  Core  and  his 
companions.  He  foretold  too,  that  every  seventh  year,  the 
earth  would  yield  a  threefold  crop;  that  God  would  reward 
the  faithful  observance  of  the  law  with  temporal  blessings, 
and  punish  the  non-keeping  of  it  with  temporal  calamities. 
And  from  a  study  of  Jewish  history  we  know  that  all  these 
*  prophecies  were  literally  fulfilled. 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends : — The  Mosaic 
religion  was  the  preparation  for  the  Christian  religion  which 
was  to  supplant  it.  It  was  holy  and  just,  and  pleasing  to 
<God,  and  saved  through  faith  in  the  future  Redeemer.  But 
it  was  not  the  completion  of  revelation;  for  as  St.  Paul 
says:  "The  Law  brought  nothing  to  perfection."  And  ac- 
cording to  the  same  apostle,  its  sacraments  were  weak  and 
needy  elements  conferring  only  external  justice.  Its  sacri- 
fices were  types,  which  did  not  cleanse  the  soul  from  sin, 
but  conferred  only  legal  purity.  The  Mosaic  religion  prom- 
ised a  Saviour,  but  did  not  give  Him;  the  Mosaic  religion 
was  essentially  ordained  to  the  Christian  religion,  which 
being  once  established,  the  former  was  to  cease. 

We  do  not  mean  to  say- that  its  dogmas  were  not  to 
last,  nor  its  moral  precepts  either.  These  are  immutable 
and  eternal.  The  Mosaic  religion  revealed  them  more 
clearly  and  more  fully  than  the  Primitive;  and  the  Chris- 
tian religion  revealed  them  more  clearly  and  more  fully 
that  the  Mosaic.  No;  we  mean  that  the  ceremonial  and 
judicial  precepts  were  only  temporary,  and  were  to  be  abro- 
gated with  the  advent  of  the  Christian  religion. 

That  this  part  of  the  Mosaic  religion  was  to  be  abro- 
gated, we  learn  from  the  Old  Law  itself,  which  announced 
that  a  new  legislator  would  be  appointed,  and  a  new  cov- 
enant established.  We  learn  it  too  from  the  prophecies 
which  foretold  that  the  Gentiles  would  be  called,  the 
Jewish  nation  dispersed,  Jerusalem  destroyed,  and  the 
Temple  overturned.  And  in  fact,  the  Mosaic  religion  was 
abrogated  before  the  Christian  was  firmly  established.  For 
the  Mosaic  religion  was  such  that  its  ceremonial  part  could 
be  observed  in  Palestine  alone.  Its  external  rites  must  be 
performed  in  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem,  whither  all  males 
were  obliged  to  go  thrice  a  year  for  the  celebration  of  the 
more  solemn  feasts.  What  has  happened?  During  these 
84 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION  85 

eighteen  hundred  years  the  Jews  have  been  outcasts,  they 
have  had  no  country;  they  have  been  driven  from  Palestine, 
and  dispersed  over  the  world;  Jerusalem  has  been  sacked, 
and  the  great  Temple  has  lain  in  ruins. 

Although  the  Jews  had  been  guided  and  protected  in 
a  wonderful  manner  by  God,  still  as  the  years  rolled  by,  on 
account  of  their  sins,  He  permitted  them  to  be  scattered 
throughout  the  Roman  Empire.  Everywhere  they  spoke  of 
the  one  true  God,  and  the  Messiah  whom  He  was  to  send. 
Thus  they  raised  the  hopes  and  aspirations  of  the  nations. 
The  time  had  now  arrived  for  the  Redeemer  to  come.  The 
Pagan  world  had  been  taught  that  it  could  not  survive 
without  God.  Mankind  was  now  prepared  to  receive  the 
Expected  of  Nations.  Christ  was  born.  He  was  born  at 
Bethlehem,  of  a  virgin.  He  had  been  miraculously  conceiv- 
ed by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Virgin  brought 
Him  into  the  world  on  a  cold  winter's  night,  in  a  stable, 
and  wrapped  Him  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  laid  Him  in  a 
manger. 

To  certain  shepherds,  who  were  guarding  their  flocks, 
and  keeping  their  watches  through  the  night,  an  angel  of 
the  Lord  appeared,  enveloped  in  light,  and  said:  "I  am 
come  to  announce  good  tidings  of  great  joy  unto  you,  and 
unto  all  your  people.  Today  in  the  city  of  David  is  born 
to  you  a  Saviour,  the  Christ,  the  Lord;  and  behold  the  sign 
by  which  you  shall  know  him;  you  shall  find  him  an  infant 
wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes,  and  lying  in  a  manger." 

While  their  hearts  were  all  aglow,  and  while  their  eyes 
were  still  drinking  in  the  celestial  radiance,  they  saw  that 
the  angel  was  not  alone,  but  was  surrounded  by  a  multitude 
of  heavenly  spirits,  who  intoned  that  chant  which  has  been 
re-echoed  throughout  the  world  during  these  nineteen  hun- 
dred years:  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  peace  on 
•  earth  to  men  of  good  will."  When  this  rapturous  song 
had  faded  away  in  the  far  depths  of  the  skies,  and  the 
messengers  of  God  had  gone  from  their  sight,  they  cried: 
"Let  us  go  to  Bethlehem  and  see  this  which  has  happened, 
see  this  which  the  Lord  has  made  known." 

On  the  eighth  day,  the  child  was  circumcised  and  call- 
ed Jesus ;  a  name  which  was  brought  from  heaven ;  a  name 


86  SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION 

which  spoke  salvation  to  the  Jews ;  a  name  which  bears 
upon  the  heart,  the  impress  of  love  and  celestial  sweetness, 
and  a  foretaste  of  our  deliverance.  The  child  is  presented 
in  the  Temple.  The  Magi  come  from  the  East  to  adore 
Him.  Herod  seeks  his  life.  Joseph  departs  into  Egypt 
with  the  Child  and  His  mother.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  He 
visits  Jerusalem,  and  there  astonishes  the  doctors  in  the 
Temple  by  the  wisdom  of  His  questions  and  answers.  He 
then  returns  to  Nazareth,  where  He  remains  subject  to 
Joseph  and  Mary,  until  He  begins  His  public  life. 

John  the  Baptist,  the  last,  and  the  greatest  of  the 
prophets,  points  Him  out.  He  goes  before  Him  preparing 
the  way:  "Do  penance,  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  nigh 
unto  you;  I  am  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  desert,  pre- 
pare ye  the  way  of  the  Lord ;"  "I  baptize  with  water,  but 
after  me  there  cometh  One  who  is  mightier  than  I,  the 
latchet  of  whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  loosen.  He,  it  is 
who  shall  baptize  you  will  the  Holy  Ghost  and  fire." 

Christ  comes  to  the  banks  of  the  Jordan  where  John 
was  baptizing  unto  penance.  He  descends  too,  into  the 
water  with  the  penitents,  but  lo!  a  sign  is  given  from 
Heaven;  John  perceives  the  Christ  and  cries  out:  "I  ought 
to  be  baptized  by  Thee,  and  dost  Thou  come  to  me?"  "Suf- 
fer Me  to  do  this  now,"  said  Jesus,  "thus  it  behooveth  us 
to  fulfill  all  justice."  John  resisted  Him  no  longer,  but 
baptized  the  Christ.  At  the  moment  the  Lord  rose  from 
the  water,  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descend- 
ed upon  Christ  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  and  a  voice  rang  out 
from  the  heights  of  the  heavens:  "This  is  My  beloved  Son 
in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 

Christ  begins  His  public  mission.  He  gathers  around 
Him  twelve  men  who  are  to  become  His  associates  in  the 
great  work.  They  travel  up  and  down  the  country  of 
Judea  with  Him,  partaking  of  the  same  sorrows  and  the 
same  joys.  They  saw  Him  perform  all  kinds  of  miracles, 
and  relievo  all  kinds  of  distress.  They  heard  the  doctrines 
which  He  taught.  He  came  to  establish  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, and  they  are  to  continue  the  work  after  Him.  And 
before  He  ascended  into  heaven,  Christ  sent  them  into  the 
whole  world.  To  them  and  their  successors,  He  entrusted 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION  87 

the  whole  deposit  of  revealed  truth:  "All  power",  said 
Christ,  4<is  given  to  Me  in  heaven  and  on  earth;  going 
therefore  teach  ye  all  nations;  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you;  and  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even  to 
the  consummation  of  the  world."  And  in  order  that  they 
might  be  able  to  fulfill  this  great  commission  and  forget 
none  of  His  teaching,  He  said  to  them:  ''And  I  will  ask 
the  Father,  and  He  shall  give  you  another  Paraclete  that 
he  may  abide  with  you  forever.  But  the  Paraclete,  the 
Holy  Ghost,  whom  the  Father  will  send  in  my  name,  He 
will  teach  you  all  things,  whatsoever  I  shall  have  said  .to 
you."  And  to  strengthen  the  faith  of  all  believers  in  the 
indefectibility  of  the  Church,  and  to  show  them  in  all  con- 
troversies where  to  look  for  the  sound  faith,  He  said  to 
Simon,  one  of  them:  "Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  My  Church;  and  the  gates  of  Hell  will  not 
prevail  against  it." 

The  Catholic  Church  is  the  representative  of  those 
Apostles.  Her  bishops  and  priests  alone  can  trace  their 
descent  back  to  the  apostles,  and  to  Christ.  Every  religious 
body  has  begun  since  the  time  of  the  apostles.  Some  went 
out  from  the  Church  in  the  Fifth  Century,  some  in  the 
Ninth,  and  most  religious  sects  date  their  origin  somewhere 
between  the  Fifteenth  and  Nineteenth  Century.  But  the  Cath- 
olic Church  has  existed  from  the  beginning.  Pius  X  is  the 
two  hundred  and  fifty-eighth  successor  to  St.  Peter,  the  first 
supreme  bishop.  In  the  Catholic  Church  alone  you  will 
find  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  in  all  their  fullness. 
This  or  that  sect  may  teach  some  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ, 
but  not  in  any  will  you  find  them  all,  because  not  to  them 
was  said:  "I  will  ask  the  Father  and  He  shall  give  you 
another  Paraclete  that  He  may  abide  with  you  forever." 
In  the  Catholic  Church  too,  and  in  it  alone  will  be  found 
all  those  sacred  rites  which  were  instituted  by  Jesus  Christ 
to  be  the  instruments  and  channels  of  His  grace.  And  in 
the  Catholic  Church  will  be  found  that  great  act  of  wor- 
ship by  which  the  absolute  sovereignty  of  God  is  rightly 
acknowledged.  The  deposit  of  Christian  faith  committed 


88  SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION 

to  the  Catholic  Church  is  found  summarily  in  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  which  was  composed  by  the  apostles.  First  comes 
the  truth  of  the  unity  and  trinity  of  God;  that  God  is  one 
in  nature  and  three  in  person.  Next  comes  the  Incarnation 
and  Redemption;  that  the  Son  of  God,  the  Second  Person 
of  the  Adorable  Trinity  assumed  human  nature  in  the 
womb  of  a  virgin;  that  He  suffered  in  the  human  nature, 
and  on  account  of  its  being  united  to  the  divine  in  the 
Person  of  the  word,  the  sufferings  had  an  infinite  value, 
and  mankind  was  redeemed;  that  Jesus  Christ  after  having 
been  crucified  rose  triumphantly  from  the  dead;  and  now 
sits  at"  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  from  whence  He  will 
come  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead.  Thirdly,  comes 
the  doctrine  of  the  divine  maternity ;  that  the  Virgin  Mary 
miraculously  conceived  Jesus  Christ  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  that  she  is  truly  the  Mother  of  God,  be- 
cause her  Son  Jesus  Christ  is  God.  Fourthly  comes  the 
doctrine  of  a  future  life;  that  the  souls  of  men  are  immor- 
tal; that  men  will  be  rewarded  according  to  their  works, 
the  good  going  into  everlasting  happiness,  and  the  wicked 
into  everlasting  punishment.  Fifthly,  comes  the  doctrine 
of  the  Church;  that  Christ  established  a  church  to  enable 
men  to  share  in  the  fruits  of  the  Redemption  until  the  end  of 
time;  that  the  Church  is  one,  holy,  Catholic,  and  Apostolic. 
Sixthly,  comes  the  doctrine  of  the  Communion  of  Saints; 
that  the  Church  is  composed  of  three  parts;  the  Church 
triumphant,  the  Church  suffering,  and  the  Church  militant; 
that  the  Church  triumphant,  and  the  Church  suffering  can 
assist  the  Church  militant;  that  the  Church  militant  and  the 
Church  triumphant  can  assist  the  Church  suffering;  and 
that  the  members  of  the  Church  militant  can  assist  each 
other  by  their  prayers  and  good  works.  Seventhly,  comes 
the  doctrine  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins  in  the  sacraments 
of  baptism  and  penance.  And  lastly  comes  the  doctrine 
that  the  bodies  of  all  will  rise  on  the  last  day;  the  good 
most  beautiful,  to  share  in  the  reward  of  their  souls,  and 
the  wicked  most  hideous  to  share  in  the  punishment  of 
their  souls. 

Need  I  tell  you  that  the  moral  law  is  the  same  under 
tho  Christian  as  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation.     The  Dec- 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION  89 

alogue-  is  a  summary  of  that  law.  To  Moses,  the  Lord 
spoke:  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God.  Thou  shalt  not  have 
strange  Gods  before  Me.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  thy  God  in  vain.  Remember,  that  thou  keep  holy 
the  Sabbath.  Honor  thy  father  and  mother.  Thou  shalt 
not  kill.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  Thou  shall  not 
steal.  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neigh- 
bor. Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife.  Thou  shalt 
not  covet  thy  neighbor's  goods."  Such  are  the  ten  com- 
mandments which  were  given  on  Mount  Sinai  and  promul- 
gated anew  by  Christ.  Briefly  I  shall  enumerate  the  seven 
Sacraments  instituted  by  Christ  for  the  strengthening  of 
man's  weakened  will,  that  he  might  keep  the  law  and  serve 
God,  and  which  have  been  administered  by  His  Church 
from  the  beginning.  There  is  the  sacrament  of  baptism, 
through  which  man  is  cleansed  from  original  sin  and  made 
a  chijd  of  God,  and  an  heir  of  His  kingdom;  "unless  a 
man  be  born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  cannot 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  There  is  the  sacrament 
of  penance  by  which  sins  committed  after  baptism  are 
taken  away  through  the  instrumentality  of  God's  ministers : 
"Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive  they  are  forgiven  them;  and 
whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  retained."  There  is 
the  sacrament  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  in  which  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ  are  received  under  the  appearance  of 
bread  and  wine  for  the  nourishment  of  the  soul:  "Unless 
you  eat  of  My  body  and  drink  of  My  blood  you  cannot 
have  life  in  you.  For  My  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  My  blood 
is  drink  indeed."  There  is  the  sacrament  of  Confirmation, 
in  which  the  Holy  Ghost  is  received,  to  make  us  strong 
and  perfect  Christians,  and  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ: 
"Then  they  imposed  hands  upon  them,  and  they  received 
the  Holy  Ghost."  There  is  the  sacrament  of  Matrimony, 
in  which  a  Christian  man  and  woman  are  united  in  lawful 
wedlock,  and  given  especial  assistance  to  perform  their 
onerous  duties:  "For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his 
father  and  mother  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife,  and  they 
shall  be  two  in  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  sacrament,  but 
I  speak  in  Christ  and  in  the  Church."  There  is  the  sacra- 
ment of  Holy  Orders,  in  which  Christ's  ministers  receive 


90 


SERMON  ON  THE  MOSAIC  RELIGION 


the  power  and  grace  of  the  priesthood:  "These  they  set 
before  the  Apostles,  and  they  praying  imposed  hands  upon 
them."  And  finally  there  is  the  sacrament  of  Extreme  Unc- 
tion, in  which  the  dying  receive  special  help  in  their  last  con- 
flict with  the  powers  of  darkness :  "If  any  man  is  sick  among 
you,  let  him  call  in  the  priests  of  the  Church,  and  let  them 
pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  And  the  prayers  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick  man; 
and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he  be  in  sin,  they 
shall  be  forgiven  him." 


SERMON  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — Before 
treating  the  question  of  the  divinity  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, I  wish  to  say  a  word  or  two  about  the  great  act  of 
worship  of  the  New  Dispensation. 

I  have  already  told  you  that  sacrifices  were  the  prin- 
cipal acts  of  worship  in  the  Primitive  and  Mosaic  religions. 
Moreover,  in  both  of  these  dispensations,  sacrifices  were 
offered  up  by  a  certain  class  of  men  who  were  dedicated 
to  that  work  specially  and  set  apart  for  that  office.  Among 
the  pagans  too,  we  find  the  same  to  be  a  fact.  They  had  their 
altars,  their  priests,  and  their  sacrifices.  Yes ;  without  a  sac- 
rifice, God's  supreme  dominion  over  man  cannot  be  duly  and 
fittingly  acknowledged;  and  that  is  the  first  and  principal 
object  of  all  religious  worship.  In  sacrifices  a  victim  is  offer- 
ed up,  and  immolated  really,  or  equivalently  by  an  author- 
ized person  who  stands  between  God  and  the  people,  and  re- 
presents both.  In  this  way  does  man  acknowledge  that  God 
.is  the  author  of  life  and  death,  that  He  is  supreme,  the 
first  beginning  and  the  last  end  of  all  things.  Now,  the 
Christian  religion,  of  wThich  the  Primitive  and  Mosaic  were 
shadows,  must  have  its  sacrifice,  and  a  more  perfect  one. 
And  so  it  has  in  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  which  is  the 
representation  and  the  continuation  of  the  Sacrifice  of  the 
Cross. 

Malachias  under  inspiration  foretold  it  when  he  cried 
out  in  the  name  of  God :  "I  have  no  pleasure  in  you,  saith 
the  Lord  of  Hosts ;  and  I  shall  not  receive  a  gift  from  your 
hands.  For  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  to  the  going 
down.  My  name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles,  and  in 
every  place  there  is  a  sacrifice,  and  there  is  offered  up  to 
My  name  a  clean  oblation." 

The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  was  instituted  by  Jesus 
Christ  at  the  Last  Supper,  when  He  blessed  and  broke  the 
bread,  and  gave  it  to  His  disciples  saying:  "Take  ye 

91 


92  SERMON  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION 

and  eat;  this  is  My  body  which  is  given  for  you.  Do  this 
in  commemoration  of  Me;"  And  of  the  chalice  likewise 
after  He  had  blessed  it.  He  gave  to  His  disciples,  saying: 
"Drink  ye  all  of  this;  for  this  is  My  blood  of  the  New 
Testament  which  shall  be  shed  for  many  unto  the  remis- 
sion of  sins."  From  that  day  to  this  throughout  the  whole 
world,  among  all  nations,  and  races,  and  peoples,  the  bish- 
ops and  priests  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  obedience  to 
that  command,  have  been  offering  up  the  bread  and  wine. 
In  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  as  at  the  Last  Supper,  the 
bread  and  wine  are  changed  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ.  Christ  robs  Himself  of  His  glory;  He  comes  on 
the  altar  under  the  appearance  of  bread  and  wine ;  He 
humbles  Himself,  and  He  is  consumed.  Yes,  in  the  sacri- 
fice of  the  Mass  as  on  the  heights  of  Calvary,  Christ  is  the 
victim,  and  Christ  is  the  principal  priest.  They  differ  only 
in  the  manner  of  offering.  On  Calvary,  Christ  shed  His 
blood  really;  on  the  altar,  the  real  shedding  is  signified  by 
the1  separate  consecration  of  the  bread  and  wine.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  the  Mass  in  the  Catholic  Church.  This  is 
the  sacrifice  and  clean  oblation  pointed  out  by  Malachias 
as  being  offered  up  from  the  rising  to  the  going  down  of 
the  sun  in  every  place,  because  God's  name  is  great  among 
the  Gentiles. 

Are  we  to  wonder  then  at  the  awful  stillness  and  rev- 
erence with  which  Catholics  assist  at  the  Mass?  There  is 
being  renewed  before  their  eyes,  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Cross 
in  an  unbloody  manner.  God  is  being  duly  acknowledged 
as  the  sovereign  Lord;  fitting  thanks  are  being  returned 
to  Him  for  all  the  favors  and  graces  bestowed  upon  man; 
and  Jesus  Christ  is  supplicating  God  to  apply  the  merits 
of  Calvary's  cross  to  individual  souls. 

My  brethren,  we  shall  now  briefly  consider  some  of 
the  proofs  in  support  of  the  divinity  of  Christianity.  And 
first  the  founder  of  the  Christian  religion  was  pointed  out 
by  the  prophets  hundreds  of  years  before  He  came,  also  the 
time  and  circumstances  of  His  birth.  His  life,  and  death, 
resurrection,  and  work,  were  described  by  the  prophets. 
The  dogmas  of  the  Christian  religion  are  most  conformable 
to  reason,  and  answer  all  the  legitimate  aspirations  of  the 


SERMON  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION  93 

soul.  The  Christian  religion  gives  a  certain  answer  to 
those  four  great  questions  which  have  ever  engaged  the 
attention  of  man.  It  teaches  him  with  no  uncertain  note 
about  God  and  His  nature;  about  the  origin  of  the  world; 
about  the  origin  and  nature  of  man,  and  about  his  last  end, 
and  how  he  is  to  reach  it. 

The  school  of  Christianity  is  free  from  all  philosophi- 
cal errors,  while  outside  of  her,  the  most  absurd  errors  are 
taught.  Her  skirts  have  ever  been  kept  clean  of  the  errors 
of  the  eternity  of  matter,  dualism,  polytheism,  pantheism 
and  fatalism.  And  all  her  doctrines  are  harmoniously 
united.  There  is  no  conflict  among  them.  One  naturally 
follows  from  the  other.  And  so  remarkable  is  the  unity 
that  one  cannot  be  denied  without  questioning  the  other. 
The  truths  of  Christianity  by  their  depths,  satisfy  the  minds 
of  the  greatest  intellects,  and  by  their  simplicity,  are  aptly 
suited  to  the  capacity  of  the  uneducated.  And  they  are  so 
profound  and  broad  that  for  nineteen  hundred  years  they 
have  supplied  an  inexhaustible  matter  for  the  investigation 
of  the  learned.  And  in  Catholic  catechisms,  the  most  sub- 
lime truths  are  mastered  by  little  ones;  truths  which  the 
pagan  philosophers  were  ignorant  of. 

The  Christian  religion  has  presented  the  only  perfect 
code  of  Ethics.  That  such  a  code  may  be  safe  and  com- 
plete, it  must  comprise  three  things;  our  offices  towards 
God,  our  neighbor  and  ourselves.  And  these  are  found 
in  the  Ten  Commandments.  And  the  Ten  Commandments 
are  summed  up  in  two;  "Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  thy  whole  heart,  and  with  thy  whole  soul,  and 
with  all  thy  mind;"  and  the  second  is  like  to  this:  "Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 

The  Christian  religion  not  only  tells  man  to  keep  the 
law,  but  offers  him  the  means  to  do  so.  First,  it  places 
before  him  a  perfect  exemplar  in  Christ,  who  began  to 
do,  and  to  preach,  and  whom  the  rationalists  acknowledge 
to  have  been  the  most  perfect  man  that  ever  walked  the 
earth.  Secondly,  it  gives  an  efficacious  sanction  to  the  law, 
promising  an  eternal  recompense  in  the  next  world.  And 
thirdly,  God  gives  special  help  to  keep  the  law,  where 
nature  fails:  "I  can  do  all  things  in  Him  who  strength- 


94  SERMON  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION 

eneth  me,"  says  St.  Paul.  And  the  Christian  religion,  by 
its  sacrificial  act  satisfies  the  demands  of  the  soul  for  ex- 
ternal worship;  and  by  teaching  us  that  the  miseries  of 
life  are  the  punishment  of  sin,  necessary  for  our  probation, 
and  offering  a  way  to  eternal  life,  it  satisfies  the  demands  of 
the  soul  amidst  afflictions  for  comfort  and  solace. 

My  Brethren,  the  founder  of  the  Christian  religion 
worked  various  kinds  of  miracles  to  prove  the  divinity  of 
His  mission.  The  gospels  are  replete  with  the  miracles  of 
Christ.  But  there  is  one  which  we  shall  lay  special  stress 
upon  after  the  example  of  Christ  Himself.  When  the 
Scribes  asked  Him  for  a  sign,  He  answered :  "An  evil  and 
adulterous  generation  seeketh  a  sign;  and  a  sign  shall  not 
be  given  it,  but  the  sign  of  Jonas  the  prophet.  For  as 
Jonas  was  in  the  whale's  belly  three  days  and  three  nights, 
so  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  in  the  heart  of  the  earth  three 
days  and  three  nights."  The  miracle  of  the  resurrection 
implied  omnipotence.  It  is  a  fact  which  all  the  powers  of 
created  nature  could  not  effect.  Hence  it  was  worked 
by  God  alone.  Christ,  after  He  had  been  in  the  tomb  for 
three  days,  rose  glorious.  Christ  was  really  dead.  Before 
He  was  crucified,  He  underwent  a  most  cruel  scourging 
in  the  court-yard  until  he  was  robed  in  His  own  blood. 
Then  He  was  forced  to  carry  the  Cross  on  His  mangled 
shoulders  up  Calvary's  heights.  On  the  way  He  fell  several 
times  from  exhaustion,  but  was  goaded  on  by  jibes  and 
curses.  When  He  reached  the  place  of  crucifixion,  He  was 
thrown  on  the  cross,  and  after  His  legs  and  arms  were 
almost  disjointed,  with  His  hands  and  feet  nailed  to  the 
cross,  He  was  swung  aloft,  and  allowed  to  remain  there 
for  three  hours.  And  to  make  certain  of  His  death,  his 
side  was  pierced  with  a  lance,  and  His  legs  were  broken.- 
It  would  have  been  the  greatest  miracle  if  Christ  had  sur- 
vived all  this! 

Before  putting  Him  in  the  tomb,  they  wrapped  Him  in 
a  winding  sheet  and  bedewed  His  body  with  aromatic 
spices.  Then  they  covered  the  tomb  with  an  immense  stone, 
sealed  it,  and  placed  over  it  a  guard  of  Roman  soldiers. 
But  on  the  third  day,  the  first  of  the  week,  before  the  sun 
had  risen,  suddenly  the  stone  was  rolled  by,  and  Christ 


SERMON  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION  95 

came  forth  from  the  tomb.  The  brightness  of  His  body 
dazzled  and  blinded  the  soldiers,  and  they  fell  upon  their 
faces.  After  the  resurrection  He  remained  forty  days  on 
this  earth,  appearing  frequently  to  the  Apostles  and  Dis- 
ciples, eating  and  drinking  with  them,  to  show  that  He 
was  truly  risen. 

My  Brethren,  the  rapid  propagation  of  the  Christian 
religion  and  its  continued  existence  is  a  miracle,  which 
proves  most  conclusively  that  it  is  divine.  Notwithstanding 
that  it  opposed  the  passions  of  men,  offered  no  earthly  re- 
ward to  its  followers;  that  the  Roman  empire  waged  a 
deadly  persecution  against  it;  that  it  had  no  influence, 
wealth  or  power  back  of  it,  it  spread,  flourished,  and  cover- 
ed the  whole  earth.  Tertullian,  of  the  III  Century,  cried 
out:  "We  are  but  of  yesterday,  and  we  are  everywhere; 
we  have  filled  your  cities,'  your  towns,  your  islands,  and 
your  camps;  yea,  we  are  even  in  the  palace,  in  the  senate, 
in  the  forum,  everywhere — we  have  left  you  nothing  but 
the  temples."  Its  converts  embraced  men  .of  all  ranks, 
conditions  and  occupations.  The  learned  and  illiterate,  the 
noble  and  the  rustic,  the  rich  and  the  poor,  the  master  and 
the  slave,  the  old  and  the  young,  the  powerful  and  the  weak 
— all  become  followers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Christian  religion  has  been  in  the  world  for  eight- 
een hundred  years,  not  as  something  effete,  but  young  and 
active,  changing  and  transforming  the  face  of  the  earth. 
When  it  made  its  appearance  in  the  world,  outside  the 
Jewish  people,  idolatry  and  immorality  were  universal. 
We  do  not  say  that  it  has  completely  eradicated  these 
errors  and  vices,  but  everywhere,  all  over  the  world,  in 
every  city,  town,  hamlet,  and  district,  you  will  find  true 
sincere  Christians  innumerable,  who  worship  the  one  true 
God  with  a  pure  worship,  and  keep  His  law. 

Pagan  antiquity  gave  parents  the  right  of  life  and 
death  over  their  offspring.  Children  were  procreated  not 
so  much  for  the  family  as  for  the  -state.  Hence  it  was  de- 
termined by  law  that  crippled  children  and  imbeciles  should 
be  put  to  death.  But  Christianity  has  changed  this.  It 
teaches  that  it  is  the  greatest  evil  to  kill  infants  in  any 
manner,  because  God  has  breathed  into  them  a  soul  that 


96  SERMON  ON  THE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION 

they  might  live  and  not  die.  In  Pagan  days,  wives  were 
looked  upon  as  chattels,  and  were  sold  and  bought,  and  for 
the  slightest  crime,  could  be  punished  with  death.  But 
Christianity  has  placed  woman  at  man's  side,  has  made  her 
his  equal,  his  partner,  the  queen  of  his  household.  In 
Pagan  days,  slavery  was  universal,  and  slaves  were  consid- 
ered no  better  than  beasts  of  burden.  Christianity  imme- 
diately diminished  the  rigor  and  severity  of  slavery,  and 
finally  extirpated  it. 

My  Brethren,  before  the  advent  of  Christianity  into 
the  world,  war  was  the  rule,  and  peace  the  exception.  And 
war  was  waged  simply  for  conquest.  But  Christianity  has 
changed  this;  it  has  made  war  the  exception,  and  peace 
the  rule.  It  has  lessened  the  horrors  of  war;  the  defense- 
less are  not  killed;  the  captives  are  treated  humanely;  the 
laws  of  nations  in  peace  and  war  are  generally  observed; 
and  faith  in  international  agreements  are  kept.  All  these 
changes  Christianity  has  wrought.  Rightly  we  may  say 
that  Christianity  is  the  mistress  of  life,  the  extinguisher 
of  vice,  and  the  perennial  fountain  of  virtue,  having  within 
herself  the  promise  of  things  present  and  things  to  come. 


CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE. 

LECTURE  DELIVERED  DURING  MISSION  TO  NON-CATHOLICS,  AT 
SACRED  HEART  CHURCH,  CHARLESTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — It  is  with 
much  pleasure  that  I  arise  to  speak  to  you  on  the  subject: 
"The  Catholic  Church  and  the  Bible." 

No  doubt,  many  of  you  have  been  told— yea,  it  has 
been  drummed  into  your  ears  from  infancy — that  the  Cath- 
olic Church  is  an  enemy  to  the  Bible,  that  she  fears  it,  that 
she  forbids  her  children  to  read  it,  and  that  she  would 
destroy  it  and  scatter  it  to  the  four  winds,  if  she  could. 

Never  was  accusation  more  groundless!  Never  was 
calumny  more  malicious! 

I  know  that  the  more  intelligent  non-Catholics  do  not 
believe  such  tales  any  more;  but  still  I  know  that  there  are 
some  good  meaning  Protestants  who  accept  them  as 
gospel  truth.  I  wish,  tonight,  to  disabuse  your 
minds  of  such  ideas,  and  to  show  you  that  the  Catholic 
Church  is  a  real  friend  to  the  Bible ;  a  friend  like  the  moth- 
er is  to  the  child,  not  by  loud  protestations,  but  in  truth 
and  in  deed;  ready  to  bear  all  insults  and  injuries  if  need 
be  in  its  defense. 

My  dear  friends,  you  are  aware  no  doubt,  that  there 
are  many  calling  themselves  Christians  today,  who  deny 
the  inspiration  of  the  Bible.  They  consider  it,  as  the 
word  of  the  God,  in  the  very  general  and  broa'd  sense  of 
the  term.  It  is  inspired  only  in  the  same  sense  in  which 
Homer's  Iliad,  Virgil's  Aeneid.  Shakespeare's  Hamlet,  and 
Milton's  Paradise  Lost  were  inspired ;  and  this  view  remem- 
ber, is  not  confined  to  the  lay  people,  and  the  pew,  but  is 
found  among  the  ministers,  and  has  entered  the  pulpit. 
Yea,  some  ministers  have  gone  so  far  as  to  tell  us  that  the 
Old  Testament  is  full  of  myths  and  legends  and  mistakes. 
I  appeal  to  you  who  read  the  leading  magazines  and  jour- 
nals for  a  confirmation  of  these  statements. 

97 


98  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE 

Contrast  now  the  Catholic  Church's  belief  on  this  point 
and  see  what  a  friend  she  is  to  the  Bible.  While  the  battle 
was  raging  fiercest,  when  the  critics  were  tearing  the  Bible 
to  shreds,  and  the  infidel  scientists  were  singing  their 
paeans  of  victory,  the  Catholic  Church  in  the  Vatican  Coun- 
cil declared  that  all  the  Canonical  books  of  the  Bible,  not 
only  contained  revelation  without  error,  but  also  were  writ- 
ten under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  have  God  as 
their  author.  This  same  doctrine  was  substantially  taught  by 
the  Council  of  Florence,  which  was  held  in  the  XIV  Century, 
and  by  the  Council  of  Trent,  which  was  held  in  the  XVI 
Century.  Hence  it  was  nothing  new,  and  was  not  gotten 
up  for  the  occasion. 

According  to  Catholic  teaching,  which  neither  priest 
nor  layman  can  question,  all  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament  were  written  under  divine  inspiration,  taking 
the  word  not  in  a  general  and  indefinite  sense,  but  in  its 
most  particular  and  special  sens,e.  The  Catholic  Church, 
therefore  teaches  that  the  sacred  authors  were  moved  to 
write  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  whilst  writing,  were  illum- 
inated and  directed  by  the  same  Spirit,  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  could  not  err,  and  would  write  only  those  things 
which  God  wished  them  to  write.  Moreover,  the  Catholic 
Church  teaches  that  inspiration  extends  not  only  to  some, 
but  to  all  parts  of  ,the  Bible.  Hence  according  to  Catholic 
teaching,  there  are  no  myths,  or  legends,  or  falsehoods,  in 
the- Bible.  If  on  the  surface  there  seems  to  be,  this  must 
be  attributed  either  to  the  scientist  who  teaches  what  is  not 
true  science,  or  to  the  historian  who  advances  false  data, 
or  to  the  interpreter  who  has  not  understood  the  text.  This 
was  the  teaching  of  Pope  Leo  XIII,  of  illustrious  memory, 
and  was  taught  fifteen  hundred  years  ago  by  the  great  St. 
Augustine. 

This  brings  us,  my  dear  friends,  to  a  second  considera- 
tion, which  F  wish  to  place  before  you.  You  know  that 
there  are  many  Bible  Christians  who  talk  and  act  as  if  the 
Bible  had  been  written,  and  printed,  and  bound  in  heaven, 
and  brought  to  this  earth  by  an  angel,  and  handed  over  to 
man :  and  that  it  is  a  witness  to  its  own  inspiration.  This 
is  going  to  the  other  extreme,  and  is  most  injurious  to  the 


CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE  99 

Bible,  and  holds  it  up  to  the  ridicule  and  scorn  of  the  infidel 
scientists.  It  is  not  truth  either,  and  comes  from  ignorance 
an'd  credulity. 

The  Catholic  Church  has  always  rightly  taught  that 
the  Bible  has  a  human  as  well  as  a  divine  side.  It  teaches 
that  the  Bible  has  a  history;  that  man  played  an  important 
part  in  its  composition;  that  the  various  parts  of  it  were 
written  at  various  times;  that  the  sacred  authors  wrote 
with  special  ends  in  view;  that  different  parts  of  it  were 
sent  to  different  Churches,  according  to  the  needs  of  the 
faithful;  that  it  was  not  written  in  the  modern  tongues; 
that  parts  of  it  remained  scattered  throughout  the  Chris- 
tian world  for  several  centuries;  that  along  with  the  in- 
spired writings  were  circulated  apocryphal  writings,  claim- 
ing inspiration  and  equal  authority;  that  it  was  the  Catho- 
lic Church  that  sifted  the  cockle  from  the  wheat,  declaring 
which  were  inspired  and  genuine,  and  which  were  mythical 
and  spurious;  that  the  Catholic  Church  has  preserved  the 
Bible;  and  that  only  by  its  authority  can  its  inspiration 
be  conclusively  proven. 

All  of  these  propositions,  I  believe,  are  admitted  by 
most  biblical  scholars,  except  the  last  one;  so  to  sustain  it, 
I  shall  devote  a  few  minutes. 

Inspiration  is  a  divine,  unseen  fact,  because  it  is  the 
secret  operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  the  will  and  intel- 
lect of  the  writer.  Now,  how  are  men  to  know  with  certain- 
ty that  such  a  writer  was  inspired  ?  The  word  of  the  writer 
will  not  suffice;  since  the  world  is  full  of  deceivers.  The 
assertion  of  the  book  itself  will  not  suffice;  since  the  Koran, 
the  Mohammedan  Bible  asserts  its  own  inspiration.  The 
sublimity  of  matter  will  not  suffice;  since  Hamlet  is  sub- 
lime, and  the  Paradise  Lost  is  sublime.  Its  admirable 
unity  will  not  prove  it;  since  St.  Augustine's  "City  of  God" 
and  other  works  possess  wonderful  unity.  Prophecies  will 
not  prove  it;  since  they  form  but  a  small  part  of  the  Bible. 
Therefore,  there  are  only  two  ways  in  which' the  inspira- 
tion of  the  Bible  can  be  proven  conclusively;  either  the 
writers  must  work  miracles  to  prove -that  they  wrote  under 
inspiration,  or  an  infallible  teacher  must  declare  that  cer- 
tain books  were  inspired.  Now  the  several  sacred  writers 


100  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE 

did  not  work  miracles  to  prove  the  inspiration  of  their  com- 
positions, nor  did  any  one  writer  work  miracles  to  prove 
that  the  whole  Bible  was  inspired. 

But,  my  dear  friends,  the  Catholic  Church,  as  we  can 
prove  with  moral  certainty,  was  made  an  infallible  teacher 
in  faith  and  morals  by  Christ.  Upon  her  word  then  we 
receive  the  Inspiration  of  the  Scriptures.  If  we  are  deceived, 
then  God  has  deceived  us,  which  is  blasphemous  even  to 
think. 

St.  Augustine,  fifteen  hundred  years  ago,  wrote:  "I 
would  not  believe  the  gospels  unless  the  authority  of  the 
Church  moved  me  thereto." 

This  brings  us,  my  dear  friends,  to  a  third  and  very 
important  consideration;  namely,  what  place  does  the  Bible 
hold  in  the  plan  of  salvation? 

You  know  this  is  the  great  bone  of  contention  between 
Catholics  and  Protestants.  You  have  heard  the  other  side; 
allow  me  to  present  ours.  To  be  clear,  we  may  sub-divide 
this  question  into  two  parts:  Does  the  Bible  contain  the 
Whole  revelation  of  God  to  man?  Should  each  individual 
be  the  last  court  of  appeal  in  its  interpretation?  Now 
Protestants  hold  that  the  Bible  contains  all  religious 
truths;  and  that  every  man  should  read  and  interpret  the 
Bible  and  draw  his  own  religion  from  it.  The  Catholic 
Church  on  the  other  hand,  holds  that  the  Bible  does  not 
contain  the  whole  revelation  of  God,  but  to  it  must  be 
added  tradition;  and  that  the  Church  is  the  supreme  inter- 
preter, the  last  court  of  appeal  for  the  correct  interpretation 
of  the  Scriptures.  Hence  no  one  must  interpret  the  Bible 
contrary  to  her  teaching. 

Now,  to  the  first  proposition — "Does  the  Bible  contain 
the  whole  revelation  of  God  to  man?  We  say  no!  And  we 
draw  our  first  argument  from  the  analogy  between  the  Old 
and  the  New  Dispensations,  or  between  the  Jewish  and 
Christian  Law.  In  the  first  place,  from  Adam  to  Moses 
there  were  no  inspired  writings.  Religious  truths  were 
transmitted  by  word  of  mouth.  Tradition  was  the  deposi- 
tory of  revealed  truth.  And  even  after  Moses  had  written 
out  the  law,  oral  tradition  remained;  for  Moses  when  about 
to  die,  said:  "Ask  thy  Father  and  He  will  declare  to  thee, 


CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE  101 

thy  elders  and  they  will  tell  thee;"  and  David  the  Psalmist 
wrote:  "We  have  heard  O  God  with  our  ears;  our  fathers 
have  declared  to  us  the  work  Thou  hast  wrought  in  their 
days,  and  in  the  days  of  Old."  And  finally  the  Jews  be- 
lieved that  all  the  posterity  of  Adam  had  incurred  original 
sin,  and  yet  there  is  no  certain  teaching  on  this  point  in 
the  Old  Testament.  Therefore  we  reasonably  infer  that  the 
New  Testament  is  not  to  contain  all  the  Christian  reve- 
lation. This  inference  of  ours  is  confirmed  by  the  New  Law 
itself.  In  the  first  place,  Christ  Himself  never  wrote  a 
word,  neither  did  he  command  the  Apostles  to  write,  but  to 
teach  and  preach.  When  He  sent  them  to  the  lost  sheep  of 
Israel,  He  said :  "And  going  preach,  saying :  'the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven  is  at  hand'/'  And  when  He  sent  them  into  the 
whole  world,  He  said:  "Going  therefore,  teach  all  nations, 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  '  He  did  not  say 
write  the  divine  message  and  scatter  it  broadcast;  He  said, 
"teach",  "preach". 

That  the  principal  work  of  the  Apostles  was  to  preach 
and  not  to  write,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  only  a  small 
number  of  them  wrote.  And  when  they  wrote,  it  was  not 
to  transmit  the  whole  revelation,  but  as  occasion  demanded, 
to  inculcate  some  important  truth.  This  is  seen  from  the 
Epistles,  which  were  composed  Avith  special  ends  in  view. 
Moreover,  those  Churches  to  which  the  Epistles  were  sent, 
were  already  in  possession  of  the  faith. 

Thirdly,  the  Apostles  did  not  tell  their  disciples  to 
confine  the  revealed  truth  to  writing,  but  rather  they  told 
them  to  transmit  it  by  word  of  mouth.  Thus  St.  Paul  writ- 
ing to  Timothy,  said:  "And  the  things  which  thou  hast 
heard  of  me  by  many  witnesses,  the  same  commend  to 
faithful  men  who  shall  be  fit  to  teach  others  also." 

Fourthly,  if  the  Scriptures  were  to  be  the  sole  source 
of  revelation,  it  should  be  somewhere  stated  therein.  But 
this  is  not  a  fact.  Bather  the  Scriptures  assert  explicitly 
the  contrary.  Thus  St.  Paul  wrote  to  the  Thessalonians : 
"Therefore,  brethren,  stand  fast;  and  hold  the  tradition 
which  you  have  learned,  whether  by  word  of  mouth,  or  by 
epistle;"  and  to  Timothy  he  writes:  "Hold  the  form  of 
sound  words  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me,  in  faith  and  in 


102  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE 

the  love,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.    Keep  the  good  things  com- 
mitted to  thy  trust  by  the  Holy  Ghost  who  dwelleth  in  us." 

Fifthly,  there  is  one  religious  truth  which  is  not  found 
in  the  Bible,  which  not  only  Catholics,  but  Protestants  be- 
lieve, and  it  is  the  sanctification  of  Sunday.  If  you  simply 
follow  the  Scriptures  you  have  no  authority  for  the  observ- 
ance of  Sunday,  the  first  day  of  the  week,  instead  of  Satur- 
day, the  last  day  of  the  week. 

It  is  clear  from  the  Old  Testament  that  the  last  day  of 
the  week  was  the  day  to  be  sanctified.  And  it  is  not  stated 
in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  that  the  first  day  of  the  week  is 
to  be  kept  holy.  Sunday  is  strictly  an  institution  of  the 
Christian  Church. 

And  finally  if  the  Scriptures  are  the  sole  depository 
of  God's  revealed  word,  what  did  the  Apostolic  Christians 
do?  The  last  part  of  the  New  Testament  was  not  written 
until  the  end  of  the  first  century.  Do  not  say  that  they  had 
the  oral  teaching  of  the  Apostles;  for  then  you  admit  that 
the  Bible  was  not  always  the  sole  depository  of  God's 
revelation. 

What  did  the  Christians  of  the  first  Four  Centuries 
do  without  the  Bible?  Remember  it  was  not  until  the 
Fourth  Century  that  the  various  parts  of  it  were  gathered 
together,  and  the  pseudo-scriptures  separated  from  the  true. 

Now  to  the  second  proposition. 

The  Catholic  Church  holds  that  God  never  intended 
that  each  man  should  search  the  Scriptures  for  himself  to 
find  out  his  religious  belief.  Moreover,  she  further  holds 
that  the  Bible  was  given  to  her  as  a  handmaid  in  religion, 
and  that  she  is  its  divinely  appointed  interpreter.  Now, 
my  dear  friends,  briefly  I  shall  place  before  you  the  prin- 
cipal reasons  for  this  position  of  the  Church. 

She  holds  that  the  Pagan  world  was  converted  not  by 
the  circulation  of  the  Bible,  but  by  the  preaching  of  the 
Apostles;  yea,  that  all  nations  that  have  embraced  Chris- 
tianity since,  have  been  converted  in  the  same  manner.  She 
holds  that  the  object  of  the  gospels  was  to  preserve  in  writ- 
ing the  principal  events  in  the  life  of  Christ,  and  that  the 
object  of  the  Epistles  was  to  correct  some  abuse,  or  to  con- 
firm the  faithful  in  the  true  faith;  consequently,  that  the 


CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE  103 

various  parts  of  the  New  Testament  were  sent  only  to  those 
Churches  which  had  previously  been  converted  to  Christian- 
ity. She  holds  that  the  Bible  was  not  the  rule  of  faith 
during  the  first  Four  Centuries,  (and  during  these  ages  no 
better  Christians  could  be  found)  because  the  Canon  of 
Scriptures  had  not  been  framed  until  the  IV  Century.  And 
furthermore  she  holds  that  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  the  Bible  to  have  been  the  rule  of  faith  for  fourteen 
hundred  years,  because  the  faithful  could  not  have  pos- 
sessed Bibles  during  that  period,  as  the  art  of  printing 
was  not  invented  until  the  XIY  Century,  and  Bibles  were 
a  luxury,  and  most  costly.  She  holds  that  it  could  not  have 
been  the  rule  of  faith  for  eighteen  hundred  years,  because 
four-fifths  of  the  human  race  could  not  have  read  the  Bible, 
even  if  they  had  possessed  it;  yea,  she  holds  at  the 
present  time  it  cannot  be  the  rule  of  faith  because  almost 
one-half  of  the  adult  members  of  the  human  race  cannot 
read.  She  holds  that  God  never  could  sanction  a  principle 
that  has  caused  such  a  multiplicity  of  sects  to  the  great 
scandal  of  Christianity.  Man  reads  the  Bible,  and  relying 
upon  his  own  understanding  of  it,  he  starts  a  new  religion ; 
and  if  we  enumerate  the  minor  divisions  of  the  great  relig- 
ious denominations,  I  believe  (I  have  seen  it  stated  by  some 
writers)  that  there  are  four  hundred  sects.  One  sect  con- 
tradicts the  other,  even  on  the  most  essentials  of  religion ; 
for  example,  the  Calvinist  believes  that  human  nature  is 
totally  corrupt,  while  the  Unitarian  holds  that  it  is  not 
corrupt;  the  Anglican  holds  that  there  are  only  two  neces- 
sary sacraments,  while  the  Quakers  reject  the  sacraments 
altogether.  And  yet  all  of  them  take  the  Bible  as  their 
rule  of  faith. 

The  Catholic  Church  holds  that  the  Bible  in  all  its 
parts  was  written  by  men  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Therefore,  for  the  correct  understanding  of  the  Bible  a 
special  illumination  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  needed.  But  this 
illumination  is  not  given  to  individuals  but  to  the  Church 
collectively.  This  doctrine  is  taught  by  the  Bible  itself; 
for  in  the  second  Epistle  of  St.  Peter.  Chapter  1,  19th  and 
20th  verses,  and  llth  Chapter,  16th  verse,  we  read :  "Under- 
standing this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of  scripture  is  made 


104  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE 

by  private  interpretation,  for  prophecy  came  not  by  the 
will  of  man  at  any  time;  but  the  holy  men  of  God  spoke 
inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost;"  "As  also  in  all  his  Epistles 
(St.  Paul)  speaking  in  them  of  these  things  in  which  cer- 
tain things  are  hard  to  be  understood,  which  the  unlearned 
and  unstable  wrest  as  they  do  also  the  other  Scriptures  to 
their  own  destruction." 

Finally,  I  wish  to  place  before  you  a  very  homely 
argument,  and  yet  a  most  convincing  one.  It  is  taken  from 
daily  life.  In  earthly  affairs  you  follow  the  Catholic  prin- 
ciple. Not  to  each  man  is  it  allowed  to  interpret  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  but  to  the  Supreme  Court 
does  this  office  belong.  And  when  it  passes  judgment  all 
the  citizens  of  the  land  are  bound  by  its  decision.  When 
you  are  very  sick  you  do  not  consult  a  doctor's  book,  but  you 
go  to  a  good  physician.  And  when  you  want  to  know  the 
law  on  an  important  point,  you  do  not  go  to  Blackstone's 
works,  but  you  consult  a  lawyer.  If  each  man  were  al- 
lowed to  interpret  the  Constitution  himself,  our  govern- 
ment would  soon  cease  to  exist.  If  each  man  were  his  own 
doctor,  ninety-nine  per  cent,  of  the  people  would  die  from 
mal-treatment.  And  if  each  man  were  his  own  lawyer,  we 
would  have  court  houses  galore,  several  in  easch  ward, 
holding  sessions  night  and  day. 

My  dear  friends,  before  concluding,  I  wish  to  lay  before 
you  a  few  facts  which  will  show  the  zeal  of  the  Catholic 
Church  for  the  dissemination  of  the  Scriptures  among  the 
people  before  the  Reformation  began. 

Perhaps  it  will  startle  some  of  you  when  I  say  that  long 
before  the  Reformation  of  Luther,  the  people  of  almost  every 
country  in  Europe  had  the  Bible  translated  into  their  own 
vernacular.  And  in  most  countries  there  was  not  only  one, 
but  several  versions.  To  be  particular,  Germany,  the  home 
of  Luther,  and  the  theatre  of  the  great  strife,  had  no  less 
than  five  different  translations  of  the  Scriptures  into  its 
own  language.  Three  were  made  previous  to  the  time  of 
Luther,  and  two  contemporary  with  or  immediately  follow- 
ing it.  The  first  of  these  translations  was  made  by  Flphilas, 
Bishop  of  Maeso-Goth  (now  Wallachian)  as  early  as  the 
middle  of  the  IV  (Vnturv.  The  second  version  was  made  in 


CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE  105 

the  old  German  Teutonic  dialect  during  the  Ninth  Century, 
and  was  attributed  to  Charlemagne.  And  the  third  was  a 
translation  of  the  Latin  Vulgate,  made  by  some  unknown 
person  about  the  year  1466.  Two  copies  of  this  edition  are 
still  preserved  in  the  Senatorial  Library  at  Leipsig. 

In  Italy,  the  home  of  the  Popes,  besides  the  Syriac, 
Coptic,  Arabic  and  Armenian  versions,  there  were  two 
Italian  versions.  The  first  was  made  by  the  Dominican 
Jacobus,  a  Varagine,  arch-bishop  of  Genoa,  and  was  com- 
pleted as  early  as  the  year  1290.  And  the  second  was  made 
by  Nicholas  Malermi,  a  Camaldolese  monk,  and  which  was 
printed  simultaneously  at  Rome  and  Venice,  in  the  year 
1471.  This  version  passed  through  thirteen  different  edi- 
tions before  the  year  1525. 

In  France  the  first  translation  was  made  about  the  year 
1478  by  Des  Moulins,  and  was  corrected  and  a  new  edition 
made  of  it  by  Rely,  Bishop  of  Angers,  in  the  year  1487.  This 
version  was  successfully  re-printed  about  sixteen  times 
before  the  Reformation. 

In  Spain,  according  to  the  great  Spanish  historian 
Marianne,  the  Scriptures  were  translated  into  the  Castilian 
dialect  by  order  of  Alphonso  the  Wise.  The  whole  Bible 
was  translated  into  the  Valencian  dialect  of  the  Spanish 
in  the  year  1415  by  Boniface  Ferrer.  This  version  was 
printed  in  the  year  1478,  and  reprinted  in  1515  with  the 
formal  consent  of  the  Spanish  Inquisition. 

And  finally,  in  England,  besides  the  translation  made 
by  the  Venerable  Bede  in  the  Eighth  Century,  as  well  as 
the  translation  of  Psalms  by  Alfred  the  Great  in  the  Ninth, 
there  was  a  translation  of  the  whole  Bible  into  the  English 
of  that  period  and  which  was  completed  about  the  year  1290, 
long  before  the  version  of  Wickliffe  of  the  Fifteenth  Cen- 
tury.  To  sum  up,  we  may  say  that  before  the  appear- 
ance of  Luther's  version  of  the  Bible  in  the  year  1530,  there 
had  existed  in  the  various  countries  of  Europe,  twenty-two 
different  Catholic  versions,  and  between  the  years  1450  and 
1530,  they  had  passed  through  at  least  seventy  editions. 

In  conclusion,  my  dear  friends,  allow  me  to  impress 
upon  you  that  the  Catholic  Church  not  only  loves  the  Bible, 
but  she  reverences  it,  vea.  she  almost  worships  it.  Priests 


106  CATHOLIC  CHURCH  AND  BIBLE 

are  taught  during  their  seminary  days  to  read  it  on  bended 
knee  and  with  uncovered  head.  The  Church  uses  it  in  de- 
fense of  all  her  doctrines,  and  priests  have  it  continually 
before  them.  The  ceremonies  of  the  Church,  and  especially 
the  great  act  of  worship,  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  are  lit- 
erally saturated  with  the  Scriptures.  The  Gospels  and 
Epistles  taken  from  the  Bible  form  the  subject  of  our  Sun- 
day sermons.  We  are  bound  by  the  laws  of  the  Church 
to  read  the  Gospels  in  the  vernacular  of  the  people  and 
expound  them  to  them.  Priests  are  bound  under  pain  of 
grievous  sin  to  devote  at  least  one  hour  a  day  principally 
to  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures.  Our  children  at  school, 
as  soon  as  they  are  able  to  read  well,  begin  the  study  of 
Bible  History,  which  comprises  historical  parts  6f  the  Scrip- 
tures suited  to  their  understanding.  And  finally,  the 
Church  desires  that  each  Catholic  family  should  possess  a 
copy  of  the  Bible,  and  that  the  adult  members  who 
are  intelligent  enough,  should  read  it — always  supposing 
two  conditions;  first,  that  it  is  a  version  authorized  by 
the  Church  with  explanatory  notes ;  and  secondly,  that  they 
will  never  interpret  it  contrary  to  the  teaching  of  the 
Church. 


SERMON  ON— DID  CHRIST  ESTABLISH  A  CHURCH? 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends : — Did  Christ 
Establish  a  Church  is  a  subject  which  should  interest  every 
Christian.  For  surely  no  follower  of  Christ  can  be  indif- 
ferent to  the  work  of  His  hands.  Besides,  is  it  not  a  duty 
incumbent  upon  all  Christians  to  learn  as  much  as  possible 
about  that  society  instituted  by  Christ?  At  least  in  this 
age  of  universal  education  no  one  should  neglect  the  oppor- 
tunity of  broadening  his  knowledge.  And  perhaps  it  is  the 
first  time  you  have  heard  this  momentous  subject  treated 
specifically;  for  momentous  it  is,  if  Christ  has  established 
a  visible  Church  to  which  He  wishes  all  to  belong. 

The  word  Church  comes  from  the  Greek  word 
"Ekklnsia"  which  is  translated  into  Latin  by  "evocatio", 
and  means  in  English  "a  calling  forth."  In  the  broad  sense 
of  the  word,  we  may  say  that  the  word  Church  signifies 
first,  the  action  which  assembles  the  people  together; 
secondly,  the  assembly  itself;  and  thirdly,  the  place  where 
the  assembly  meets.  But  the  real  meaning  of  the  Church? 
The  Church  as  Catholic  theologians  understand  it,  and 
about  which  I  am  to  speak  this  morning,  is  that  congrega- 
tion of  men  who  are  united  in  the  profession  of  the  same 
creed,  and  in  the  same  act  of  worship,  and  in  the  reception 
of  the  same  sacraments,  and  held  together  by  the  authority 
of  legitimate  pastors,  or  more  briefly,  by  the  Church,  I  mean 
that  visible  organization  established  by  Christ  to  continue 
His  work  on  earth  until  the  end  of  time.  And  I  shall  now 
proceed  to  show  you  that  Christ  did  establish  such  an 
institution. 

My  brethren,  what  is  implied  in  the  ideas  of  a  visible 
society?  Three  principal  things;  first,  a  number  of  men 
morally  united;  secondly,  a  common  end  to  which  they  con- 
spire by  the  use  of  certain  means;  and  thirdly,  a  chain  or 
bond  which  holds  them  together.  It  is  evident  that  the 
bond  or  chain  can  be  no  other  than  authority.  Let  us  now 

107 


108        SERMON  ON  DID  CHRIST  ESTABLISH  A  CHURCH 

turn  to  the  Scriptures.  In  the  Old  Testament  Christ's 
Church  is  spoken  of  as  a  kingdom.  Thus  do  Isaias,  Jere- 
mias  and  Daniel  speak  of  her:  "He  (Christ)  shall  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  David  and  upon  his  kingdom."  (Isaias  IX-7)  ; 
"And  a  king  shall  reign  and  shall  be  wise,  and  shall  execute 
judgment  and  justice  on  the  earth."  (Jeremias  XXIII  3)  ; 
"God  of  heaven  will  set  up  a  kingdom  that  will  never  be 
destroyed,  and  His  kingdom  shall  not  be  delivered  up  to 
another  people."  (Daniel  11-44.) 

In  the  New  Testament  also  Christ's  Church  is  com- 
pared to  a  kingdom.  Thus  do  Sts.  Mathew,  Luke  and  John 
speak  of  her: — "The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  to  a 
man  that  sowed  good  seed  in  his  field,"  (Mathew  XIII-24)  ; 
"To  what  is  the  kingdom  of  God  like,  and  whereunto  shall 
I  resemble  it?"  (Luke  XIII-18)  ;  "Jesus  answered,  'My 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,"  (John  XVIII-36).  Now 
what  is  a  kingdom?  Is  it  not  a  society?  Do  we  not  find 
in  it  men  under  the  government  of  rulers  conspiring  towards 
a  common  end,  and  by  the  use  of  determined  means?  In 
other  words  in  a  kingdom  are  there  not  superiors  and  infer- 
iors, rulers  and  subjects,  laws  and  authority? 

Again  the  Church  of  Christ  is  called  a  sheepfold,  a 
flock,  a  city,  a  house,  and  the  body  of  Christ:  "And  other 
sheep  I  have  that  are  not  of  this  fold,"  (John  X-16)  ;  "Take 
heed  to  yourself  and  to  the  whole  flock,  wherein  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  placed  you  bishops  to  rule  the  Church,"  (Acts 
XX-28)  ;  "A  city  seated  on  a  mountain  cannot  be  hid," 
(Matthew  V-14)  ;  "But  if  I  tarry  long,-  that  thou  mayest 
know  how  thou  oughtest  to  behave  thyself  in  the  house  of 
God,"  (I  Tim.  LLL-15)  ;  "And  hath  made  Him  (Christ) 
head  over  all  the  Church  which  is  the  body,"  (Ephesians 
I,  22-23.)  A  sheepfold  supposes  sheep  under  the  authority 
of  a  shepherd.  A  flock  over  which  bishops  have  been  placed 
suppose  many  reduced  to  unity  by  authority.  A  house  is 
made  up  of  many  stones  which  form  one  building.  A  city 
supposes  citizens  who  are  governed  by  laws  and  officers. 
And  finally  in  a  body  we  find  different  members  with 
different  functions,  but  united  to  the  head  from  which  they 
receive  life  and  direction.  In  these  figures  then  which  are 


SERMON  ON  DID  CHRIST  ESTABLISH  A  CHURCH        109 

descriptive  of  Christ's  Church  we  see  a  society  with  an 
end,  laws  and  authority. 

My  brethren,  Christ  sent  forth  His  Apostles  to  teach 
all  nations,  to  baptize  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and 
of  the  Sou  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to  teach  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  He  had  commanded  them.  He 
made  them  participators  in  His  power  and  He  conferred 
upon  them  the  gift  of  miracles.  He  commanded  the  faith- 
ful to  hear  them  under  the  threat  of  losing  their  souls. 
And  He  gives  us  the  reason  of  all  this,  "That  we  might 
meet  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  unto  a  perfect  man  of  the 
likeness  of  Jesus  Christ,"  (St.  Matthew  XXVII,  19-20;  St. 
Mark  XVI,  20;  St.  Luke  X,  16;  St.  Paul  Ephesians  IV,  13). 
From  these  texts  we  are  taught  without  a  doubt  that  Christ 
established  a  Church.  In  them  we  have  all  the  elements 
which  form  a  religious  society.  We  have  first  the  multitude 
of  the  faithful,  men  of  all  countries  and  times,  who  are  to 
hear  the  Church : — "Going  therefore  teach  all  nations."  We 
have  secondly  a  common  and  special  religious  end,  the  glory 
of  God  and  the  salvation  of  men: — "Until  we  all  meet  unto 
the  unity  of  the  faith  and  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God 
unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  age  of  the  ful- 
ness of  Christ."  We  have  thirdly,  the  means,  the  remote 
and  proximate;  the  doctrines  of  Christ — the  former,  faith 
and  baptism,  the  latter : — "Teaching  them  to  observe  all 
things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you."  Careful  to 
keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  one  body 
and  one  spirit;  as  you  are  called  in  one  hope  of  your  call- 
ing. One  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism."  And  finally  we 
have  authority.  The  apostles  participate  in  the  power 
of  God  Himself  and  the  people  are  commanded  to  hear,  be- 
lieve and  obey  them : — "All  power  is  given  to  me  in  heaven 
and  on  earth.  Going  therefore  teach  all  nations;"  "He 
that  heareth  you,  heareth  me,  and  he  that  despiseth  you, 
despiseth  Me;"  "He  that  will  not  believe  shall  be  con- 
demned." 

My  brethren,  let  us  now  turn  to  those  men  who  came 
immediately  after  the  Apostles  and  known  to  be  their 
successors, — the  great  teachers  of  early  Christianity;  do 
they  speak  of  the  Church?  Yes.  their  writings  are  filled 


110        SERMON  ON  DID  CHRIST  ESTABLISH  A  CHURCH 

with  the  doctrine  of  a  Church.  Today  not  to  burden  you  I 
shall  select  but  one  from  each  of  the  first  Five  Centuries. 
We  shall  hear  more  from  them  when  I  speak  on  the  marks 
of  the  Church.  I  have  selected  the  passages  in  which  they 
simply  mention  the  Church,  and  treat  lightly  of  its  author- 
ity. And  first  comes  the  Holy  Clement  of  the  I  Century, 
who  in  writing  to  the  Corinthians  told  them  that  it  was 
better  to  be  humble,  and  in  the  sheepfold  of  Christ  and 
opposed  than  to  be  proud  and  outside  of  it  and  without 
hope: — "For  it  is  better  for  you  to  be  found  in  the  sheepfold 
of  Christ  little  and  opposed,  than  thinking  yourselves 
above  others  to  be  cast  out  of  His  hope."  Next  comes  the 
blessed  Ignatius  of  the  II  Century,  who  told  the  Ephesians 
that  the  prayer  of  the  bishop  and  of  the  whole  Church 
availed  much  more  than  the  prayer  of  one  -  — :  "For 

if  the  prayer  of  one  or  two  has  much  force,  how  much  more 
that  of  the  bishop  and  of  the  whole  Church."  Thirdly, 
comes  the  great  Cyprian  who  reprimands  severely  those 
who  had  fallen  away  from  the  communion  of  the  Church, 
and  writing  to  him  in  the  name  of  the  Church : — "I  wonder 
that  they  should  have  had  the  bold  temerity  so  to  write  to 
me  as  to  pen  their  letters  in  the  name  of  the  Church,  where- 
as, the  Church  consisteth  of  the  bishops  and  the  clergy,  and 
all  those  who  have  not  lapsed."  Fourthly,  comes  Gregory 
of  Nazianzen,  who  says  that  the  church  is  made  up  of  sheep 
and  shepherd,  subjects  and  rulers : — "Order  has  settled  even 
in  the  Church  that  some  be  sheep  and  others  shepherds; 
some  be  ruled  and  others  the  rulers."  And  finally,  St. 
Augustine  of  the  V  Century  writing  to  Dioscorns,  speaks 
of  the  solid  authority  of  the  established  Church: — "There- 
fore, do  they  strive  by  the  name  as  ft  were,  and  promise 
of  reason  to  be  superior  to  the  most  solid  authority  of  the 
firm  established  Church." 

My  brethren,  all  must  admit  that  the  Mosaic  religion 
was  a  figure  and  a  shadow  of  the  Christian  religion.  Now 
in  the  Mosaic  religion  we  find  a  religious  society.  There 
were  laymen  and  levites,  subjects  and  superiors,  disciples 
and  masters  in  the  old  Jewish  religion.  The  reality  and 
the  substance  should  be  more  perfect  than  the  figure  and 
the  shadow.  But  if  Christ  did  not  establish  a  perfect  relig- 


SERMON  ON  DID  CHRIST  ESTABLISH  A  CHURCH        111 

ious  society  in  the  New  Law,  this  is  not  a  fact.  We  must 
therefore  admit  that  He  did.  Or  again  we  must  all  admit 
that  God  provides  for  every  creature  according  to  his  con- 
dition. Now  it  is  the  condition  of  man  that  he  should  be 
born  and  must  live  in  civil  society  if  he  wishes  to  reach  the 
end  and  perfection  of  his  natural  existence.  Is  it  not  there- 
fore most  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  religion  of  Christ 
which  is  intended  for  wayfaring  man  should  take  the  form 
of  a  society?  In  this  way  all  Christians  having  being  united 
and  directed  by  legitimate  authority,  would  be  able  to  learn 
more  easily  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  and  observe  much  better 
His  laws,  and  thereby  enjoy  peace  and  tranquility  while 
working  out  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  And  for  eighteen 
hundred  years,  as  we  learn  from  history,  there  has  been  a 
Church,  a  universal  Church  in  the  world,  to  which  the  ma- 
jority of  Christians  by  far  have  submitted  themselves — a 
Church  which  we  shall  see  has  four  marks  by  which  it  may 
be  easily  recognized  by  all  men  as  the  Church  of  Christ. 


CATHOLIC  EDUCATION. 

SERMON  DELIVERED  AT  THE  LAYING  OF  THE  CORNER  STONE, 
ST.  LAWRENCE  PAROCHIAL  SCHOOL,  IRONTON,  OHIO. 

Rt.  Rev.  Bishop,  Rev.  Fathers,  Dear  Brethren,  and 
Christian  Friends: — We  are  assembled  this  afternoon  to 
witness  and  commemorate  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of 
a  new  Catholic  or  Parochial  School  in  St.  Lawrence's 
Parish.  Why  this?  Why  such  pomp  and  ceremony?  Why 
do  Catholics  take  upon  themselves  the  financial  burden  and 
trouble  of  erecting  and  maintaining  separate  schools,  when 
the  State  whose  loyal  citizens  they  are,  has  supplied  them 
with  well  equipped  ones  into  which  their  children  are  wel- 
come ?  Why  do  not  Catholics  patronize  the  State  schools  ? 
Why  do  they  submit  to  double  taxation?  An  answer  to 
these  questions  will  form  the  subject  of  my  remarks. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  the  age  in  which  we  live, 
and  especially  many  American  writers,  on  the  question  of 
education,  as  on  some  other  vital  questions,  are  greatly  in 
error.  Men,  \vho  pass  off  as  scholars  and  thinkers,  when 
they  come  to  write  and  talk  on  education  show  very  little 
depth  of  thought,  and  a  great  ignorance  of  the  fundamen- 
tals of  philosophy.  That,  man,  no  matter  how  brilliant  he 
may  seem,  who  confines  his  theory  of  education  to  the  intel- 
lect and  advocates  the  divorce  of  secular  and  religious  in- 
struction in  the  formation  of  the  child  is  indeed  a  shallow 
thinker  and  betrays  an  ignorance  of  the  very  nature  of  man. 
What  is  man?  Man  is  an  intellectual  and  moral  being.  He 
is  endowed  with  a  mind  and  heart.  It  is  the  intellect  and 
will,  or  mind  and  heart  that  make  him  what  he  is,  and 
distinguish  him  from  the  rest  of  God's  creatures.  And  what 
is  the  meaning  of  education?  To  educate  means  to  draw 
out,  to  develop  and  to  perfect.  Apply  this  to  man,  and 
what  does  education  mean  in  his  regard?  It  means,  and 
nothing  less,  to  draw  out  and  develop  and  perfect  him ;  not 
one  part  of  him,  but  the  whole  man, — his  will  and  heart  as 
112 


CATHOLIC  EDUCATION  113 

much  as  his  intellect  and  mind.  If  one  part  of  his  nature  is 
neglected  in -the  process,  you  will  not  have  educated  him, 
you  will  have  produced  but  a  deformed  being — a  one  sided 
man.  It  is  more  unreasonable  and  absurd  for  educators  to 
attempt  to  educate  children  and  neglect  their  moral  nature 
than  for  a  professor  of  physical  culture  to  attempt  to  pro- 
duce a  perfect  specimen  of  a  physical  man  and  confine  the 
training  to  one  part  of  the  body  to  the  neglect  of  the  rest.  As 
such  a  training  must  necessarily,  if  continued,  produce  a 
physical  monstrosity — a  man  abnormally  developed  in  cer- 
tain parts  of  his  body ;  so  also  must  that  system  of  education 
which  confines  itself  to  the  intellect  of  the  child  and  neglects 
its  moral  nature  produce  a  moral  monstrosity — a  man  with 
an  intellect  sharpened  and  developed  with  no  will  and  affec- 
tions trained  and  purified  to  guide,  direct,  and  curb  it. 

To  continue  the  comparison,  just  as  it  takes  time  and 
labor,  several  years  of  hard  work  both  on  the  part  of  teach- 
ers and  pupils,  day  in  and  day  out,  to  train  the  intellect  to 
any  degree  of  proficiency,  so  likewise  does  it  take  the  same 
time,  labor  and  watchfulness  to  train  the  moral  nature  of 
the  child.  A  few  hours  a  week  will  not  suffice  to  train  the 
mind,  and  neither  will  they  suffice  to  train  the  heart.  That 
the  training  may  produce  its  best  results  it  should  begin  a 
little  before  the  dawn  of  reason,  and  extend  itself  almost 
to  young  womanhood  and  manhood;  for  this  is  the  forma- 
tive period,  when  the  character  of  the  boy  or  girl  is  pliable 
and  can  be  moulded  at  will,  when  virtuous  or  vicious  habits 
are  easily  formed. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  Christianity  is  not  a  senti- 
ment. It  is  the  greatest  of  realities.  It  is  something 
definite  and  tangible.  It  has  truths  for  the  intellect  and 
principles  for  the  will.  To  master  its  doctrines  requires  a 
great  deal  of  time,  even  for  adults.  As  to  memorize  the 
contents  of  text  books  does  not  constitute  education,  so 
neither  does  the  memorizing  of  the  Catechism  constitute  a 
Christian  and  a  Catholic  education.  In  order  that  our  intel- 
lects may  be  trained  and  developed,  and  we  become  more 
than  parrots,  these  same  truths  must  be  taken  up  by  the 
mind,  turned  over  and  over  by  it,  must  be  viewed  in  their 
relations  with  each  other  and  to  other  truths;  in  other 


114  CATHOLIC  EDUCATION 

words  the  intellect  must  act,  must  reflect,  must  abstract, 
analyze,  synthesize,  judge  and  compare — it  must  reason — 
by  reasoning,  and  reasoning  alone  the  intellect  is  developed 
and  perfected.  It  is  the  same  with  the  doctrines  and  prin- 
ciples' of  Christianity.  They  are  truths  which  the  mind 
must  take  in  and  gradually  assimilate.  After  the  mind  has 
received  them  it  must  turn  them  over  and  over  again,  and 
view  them  in  their  relations  with  each  other  and  to  the 
whole  body  of  doctrine.  Since  these  principles  lead  to 
actions  they  must  be  lived  out  in  the  daily  life  of  the  child. 
Man  is  a  creature  of  habit.  In  order  to  act  always  in  the 
same  manner  there  must  be  formed  within  him  a  habit.  And 
a  habit  is  formed  by  the  repetition  of  acts  of  the  same 
nature.  When  a  habit  is  formed  it  becomes  a  second  nature, 
and  the  actions,  along  that  line  become  easy  of  performance. 
Pious  practices  must  therefore  be  cultivated  by  the  child 
and  virtuous  habits  formed.  All  this  takes  a  great  deal  of 
time.  It  is  a  work  of  several  years  and  requires  constant 
watchfulness,  care  and  zeal  on  the  part  of  truly  religious 
teachers. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  moved  chiefly  by  these 
reasons,  and  also  by  the  fact  that  when  children  during 
their  formative  period  are  placed  under  non-Catholic  in- 
fluences it  must  prove  harmful  to  their  faith,  the  Bishops 
of  these  United  States  in  Council  assembled  decreed  that 
pastors  of  souls  wherever  possible,  should  erect  and  maintain 
parish  schools;  and  that  Catholics  must  support  them,  and 
send  their  children  to  them.  The  Bishops  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  besides  having  being  placed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  over 
the  Church  to  rule  and  guide  it,  are  men  of  superior  charac- 
ter, learning  and  ability.  And  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
they  foresaw  what  labor,  money,  time  and  trouble  it  would 
take,  decreed  the  necessity  of  parish  schools,  and  the  duty 
of  parents  to  uphold  and  support  them.  Since  they  have 
the  right  divine  to  teach  and  govern  the  faithful,  the  decree 
is  binding  in  conscience  upon  pastors  and  people,  and  they 
who  resist  it,  "resisteth  the  power  of  God,  and  will  pur- 
chase to  themselves  damnation." 

In  Catholic  Schools  education  in  the  true  sense  of  the 
word  is  given.  Neither  part  of  the  child  is  neglected.  Relig- 


CATHOLIC  EDUCATION  115 

ious  and  secular  instruction  go  hand  in  hand.     And  the 
boy  or  girl  who  receives  his  or  her  education  under  Catholic 
auspices  during  the  formative  period  must  as  a  rule  be  well 
rounded  and  developed  intellectually  and  morally.     Here 
we  have  teachers  who  devote  their  whole  lives  to  that  work, 
not  for  money  or  a  livelihood,  but  simply  through  the  love 
of  God,  and  to  advance  His  glory.     They  are  the  equals — 
teacher  foji  teacher — if  not  the  superiors  in  learning  of  those 
who  teach  elsewhere,  and  with  this  advantage,  on  account 
of  the  higher  motive,  they  must  necessarily  bring  to  their 
work  more  zeal  and  devoted  ness.    New  f  angled  ideas  about 
education  are  not  introduced  into  the  class  room,  but  the 
old  methods,  which  have  stood  the  test  of  the  centuries,  and 
which  have  formed  the  thinkers  and  scholars  of  the  past 
ages  are  used.     There  is  only  one  royal  road  to  learning* — 
little  at  a  time  and  thoroughness,  and  work,  work,  work! 
Enter  a  Catholic  school,  and  the  first  object  that  meets 
your  eyes  is  the  crucifix  which  preaches  silently  and  elo- 
quently to  the  children  all  day  long.     There  too  hang  holy 
pictures  which  remind  the  children  of  God,  heaven  and  the 
saints.      The   garb    which   the    Sisters    or   Brothers    wear, 
teaches  the  child  sacrifice  and  purity.    The  day's  work  be- 
gins with  Catechism  to  teach  the  child  that  its  first  duty 
is  to  know  and  love  God,  and  that  the  soul  and  the  things 
of  the  soul  are  more  important  than  the  body.     At  other 
times  during  the  day  Bible  History,  or  a  compendium  of 
God's  dealings  with  man,  is  taught  them.     At  the  opening 
and  close  of  the  morning  and  afternoon  sessions  their  minds 
and  hearts  are  raised  to  God  by  prayer.    The  teachers  have 
their  eyes  constantly  on  the  children,  correcting  any  evil 
tendencies  and  urging  them  on  to  goodness  and  virtue.    In 
a  word  the  child  is  living  in  a  religious  atmosphere.    Relig- 
ion—Christianity—is being  imparted    to  him   almost  with 
every  breath  he  breathes.     Surely  he  who  undervalues  or 
underestimates  the  importance  of  Catholic  Schools  is  out  of 
harmony  with  the  mind  and  spirit  of  the  Church. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends.  Many  non-Catholics  are 
beginning  to  think  as  we  on  this  matter.  They  are 
beginning  to  clamor  for  the  denominational  schools.  Our 
Episcopal,  Lutheran  and  Methodist  brethren,  in  some  parts 


116  CATHOLIC  EDUCATION 

of  these  United  States,  have  called  the  attention  of  the  pub- 
lic to  the  sad  havoc  which  godless  schools  have  made  upon 
the  young  men  and  v women  of  the  country.  Just  consider 
that  fifty  years  ago  it  was  the  exception  to  find  a  non-church 
going  person.  Now  out  of  a  population  of  eighty  millions, 
only  thirty  millions  go  to  church  according  to  some  statisti- 
cians; and  fifty  millions  remain  at  home,  are  practically 
members  of  no  church,  with  no  religious  belief  and  prin- 
ciples. And  bear  in  mind  too,  that  out  of  these  thirty, 
twelve  millions  at  least  are  Catholics. 

The  Atheists  and  Infidels  recognize  this  truth.  In 
France,  Italy  and  Spain,  they  are  trying  to  dechristianize 
the  people  by  dechristianizing  the  schools.  They  say,  and 
rightly,  give  us  the  children  and  we  will  give  you  the  men. 
Give  us  the  education  of  the  children,  allow  us  to  banish 
God  and  Christ  from  the  schools,  and  in  fifty  years  we  shall 
make  the  people  infidels.  And  that  is  what  they  are  striving 
to  do  at  the  present  day. 

Even  the  strongest  supporters  of  our  present  school  sys- 
tem believe  down  in  their  hearts,  that  religious  and  secular 
instruction  should  go  hand  in  hand;  for  where  they  can 
they  invite  Protestant  ministers  to  visit  the  schools,  have  the 
Bible  read,  and  hold  Chapel  exercises.  Could  a  stronger 
proof  be  offered,  that  they  see  the  necessity  of  religious 
instruction  in  the  schools?  Our  actions  are  oftentimes  a 
truer  indication  of  our  belief  than  our  words. 

Fathers  and  mothers,  children  have  been  given  to  you 
to  be  made  saints,  to  people  heaven,  to  reign  with  God 
throughout  eternity.  A  great  responsibility  rests  upon  you. 
You  shall  have  to  render  at  the  Judgment  Seat  a  strict 
account  of  your  charge.  If  these  children  are  lost  through 
your  fault,  they  will  cry  out  against  you — they  will  be  your 
accusers  before  God.  The  imprecation  of  lost  children 
against  their  parents  at  the  Last  Day  will  be  most  terrible! 
and  God  in  His  justice  will  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  their 
cries!  Even  in  this  world  what  a  pleasure,  comfort  and 
happineHH  for  parents  to  have  around  them  good  Christian 
children !  It  is  a  grand  sight  to  see  an  aged  father  and 
mother  in  their  declining  years  upheld  by  strong,  faithful, 


CATHOLIC  EDUCATION  117 

loving  Christian  hands!     It  is  a  sight  which  rejoiceth  both 
men  and  angels! 

Fathers  and  mothers,  allow  me  to  exhort  you  to  take 
a  keen  interest  in  the  rearing  and  education  of  your  child- 
ren. Much  more  care  is  required  now  than  formerly.  Evil 
times  are  upon  us.  The  harmonious  co-operation  of  three 
factors  is  necessary  to  bring  out  and  develop  full,  rounded 
Christian  characters — the  home,  the  school  and  the  Church. 
If  any  one  of  these  fail  to  do  its  part  it  will  be  seen  in 
the  life  of  the  man  or  woman.  We  have  the  Church  and 
school  work  to  do,  you  have  the  home  work.  To  you,  par- 
ents, under  the  guidance  of  the  Church,  belongs  the  home 
work.  If  you  wish  to  do  this  work  well  allow  me  to  point 
out  to  you  some  of  your  more  common  duties; — first  you 
should  send  your  children' to  Catholic  schools,  and  punctually 
and  regularly;  secondly,  you  should  see  that  they  perform 
their  home  tasks  and  are  kept  off  the  streets  at  night;  thirdly, 
you  should  send  them  to  Mass  on  Sundays,  and  to  the  Sacra- 
ments at  the  appointed  times;  and  lastly  you  must  watch 
over  the  company  they  keep,  scrutinize  the  papers  and  books 
they  read,  know  the  places  of  amusement  they  frequent, 
and  by  all  means  teach  them — compel  them  to  be  obedient 
to  you  and  their  superiors,  and  respectful  and  obliging  to 
their  elders.  If  you  do  so  much,  and  set  them  a  good 
example,  you  will  have  come  very  near  to  fulfilling  your  ob- 
ligations toward  them.  May  you  all  uphold  the  hand  of  your 
esteemed  pastor  in  the  good  work  begun,  and  may  God 
bring  it  to  a  successful  issue! 


SERMON  ON  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 
PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends : — On  last 
Sunday  we  saw  that  Christ  established  a  Church  to  continue 
His  work  until  the  end  of  time.  Now  Christ  wishes  all 
men  to  become  members  of  that  Church,  yea,  from  the  very 
purpose  of  His  coming  and  work,  it  should  not  be  a  candle 
hidden  under  a  bushel,  but  a  light  placed  upon  a  mountain, 
which  all  men  may  see.  In  other  words  it  should  possess 
certain  marks  by  which  it  may  be  known.  And  we  hold, 
and  I  will  prove,  that  those  marks  are  unity,  sanctity,  cath- 
olicity and  apostolicity ;  and  these  are  found  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  alone.  Today  we  shall  confine  ourselves 
to  the  first  mark — unity. 

Now  what  is  unity?  By  it  we  mean  that  all  its  mem- 
bers should  agree  in  one  faith,  partake  of  the  same  sacra- 
ments, assist  at  the  same  great  act  of  worship,  and  be  sub- 
ject to  legitimate  pastors  under  one  visible  head. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  God  is  a  God  of  truth,  har- 
mony and  order,  and  He  hates  with  an  eternal  hatred,  error, 
confusion  and  division.  This  follows  from  the  very  nature 
of  God,  who  is  infinite  truth,  harmony  and  order.  These 
perfections  we  see  manifested  throughout  all  creation.  The 
more  we  know  of  the  science,  the  more  truth,  beauty,  har- 
mony and  order,  we  see  displayed  in  the  works  of  God.  And 
Christ  was  God's  own  begotten  Son,  the  splendor  of  His 
likeness  and  the  glory  of  His  substance.  The  Church  there- 
fore founded  by  Christ  must  possess  unity.  To  say  that 
Christ  would  teach  one  body  of  men  one  set  of  doctrines 
and  another  body  of  men  another  set  of  doctrines,  which 
are  contrary  and  opposed,  is  to  make  Christ  not  only  sanc- 
tioning, but  teaching  error.  To  say  that  He  wishes  one 
body  of  men  to  worship  Him  in  this  way  and  another  body 
of  men  in  another  way  is  to  make  Christ  the  cause  of  divis- 
ion. And  to  say  that  He  sanctions  all  forms  of  Church 
118 


SERMON  ON  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  CHURCH  119 

government  is  to  make  Him  the  principle  of  disorder  and 
confusion  in  the  religious  world.  In  kingdoms,  empires 
and  republics  we  see  unity;  it  is  their  underlying  principle; 
and  these  were  founded  by  men.  Is  Christ's  Church  which 
is  to  continue  His  work  until  the  end  to  be  wanting  in  a 
principle  which  is  necessary  for  the  continuous  life  of  any 
society  of  men?  No;  to  think  so  is  to  attack  the  wisdom 
of  God. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  let  us  now  turn  to  the  Bible 
to  see  what  the  Word  of  God  has  to  say  about  this  mark  of 
Christ's  Church: — "And  other  sheep  I  have  that  are  not 
of  this  fold ;  them  also  I  must  bring  and  they  shall  hear  my 
voice,  and  there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd,"  (St. 
John  X,  16) ;  "And  this  He  spoke  not  of  himself;  but  be- 
ing high-priest  of  that  year  he  prophesied  that  Jesus  would 
die  for  the  nation.  And  not  only  for  the  nation;  but  to 
gather  together  in  one  the  children  of  God  that  were  dis- 
persed," (St.  John  XI,  51-52)  ;  "And  not  for  them  only 
do  I  pray,  but  for  them  also  who  through  their  word  shall 
believe  in  Me:  that  they  all  may  be  one  as  thou  Father  in 
me  and  I  in  thee;  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us;  that 
the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me,"  (St.  John 
XVII,  20-21).  In  the  first  text,  our  Divine  Lord  speaks 
of  His  Church  under  the  imagery  of  a  sheep-fold,  and 
He  declared  that  there  are  some  who  are  not  of  this  fold, 
who  must  be  brought  into  it,  so  that  there  may  be  one  fold 
and  one  shepherd.  What  is  the  essential  element  of  a 
sheep-fold?  Unity;  many  sheep  grazing  in  a  common  pas- 
ture and  obeying  and  following  the  same  shepherd.  From 
the  second  text,  we  learn  that  the  high  priest  prophesied 
that  Jesus  was  going  to  die  for  and  bring  into  one  kingdom 
not  only  the  Jews  of  Judea,  but  all  the  children  of  God 
dispersed  over  the  whole  earth.  In  the  old  covenant  the 
Jews  were  united  in  belief  and  worship ;  but  in  the  new  cov- 
enant not  only  the  Jews,  but  all  nations  are  to  be  so  united 
In  the  third  text,  we  have  the  beautiful  prayer  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  night  before  his  passion,  praying  for  unity  not 
only  among  the  apostles,  but  also  for  unity  among  all  those 
who  should  believe  in  Christ  through  their  preaching.  And 
He  asks  His  Father  that  this  unity  may  resemble  that 


120          SERMON  ON  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

which  existed  between  them.  And  for  what  reason?  That 
the  world  or  non-believers  on  beholding  this  wonderful 
unity  of  belief  and  practice,  and  knowing  that  it  is  one 
of  the  imperfections  of  the  human  mind  to  go  into  error 
and  division,  should  be  led  to  believe  that  Christ  and  His 
doctrines  are  divine.  And  surely  no  Christian  will  say 
that  Christ's  prayer  remained  unanswered! 

To  these  texts  I  could  add  more.  I  could  quote  those 
passages  wherein  Christ  compares  His  Church  to  a  king- 
dom, a  city,  a  house,  in  which  the  essential  idea  is  unity. 
I  could  bring  forward  the  teaching  of  the  great  St.  Paul, 
where  he  compares  Christ's  Church  to  a  body,  in  which 
there  are  various  members  with  different  functions,  but  all 
united  and  subject  to  the  head;  and  the  text  wherein  he 
speaks  of  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and 
Father  of  all  who  is  above  all  and  through  all  and  in  us  all. 
But  I  do  not  care  to  burden  and  confuse  your  minds  with 
too  many  quotations. 

Let  us  turn  our  attention  for  a  few  minutes  to  the 
early  teachers  of  the  faith,  those  great  heroic  souls  who 
immediately  succeeded  the  apostles  in  the  work  of  convert- 
ing the  world,  to  see  if  they  insisted  on  unity  of  faith 
and  government  among  the  disciples  of  Christ.  Clement, 
a  Latin  Father  of  the  I  Century  writing  to  the  Corinthians 
said:  "Your  schism  has  perverted  many;  has  cast  many 
into  dejection ;  many  into  doubt ;  and  all  of  us  into  grief, 
and  your  sedition  continues." 

Ignatius,  a  Greek  Father  of  the  II  Century,  wrote  thus 
to  the  Church  at  Philadelphia: — "Do  ye  then,  being  child- 
ren of  light  and  truth,  flee  division  and  corrupt  doctrines; 
but  where  the  shepherd  is  thither  follow  ye  as  sheep." 
Cyprian,  a  Latin  Father  of  the  III  Century  cries  out:  "God 
is  one,  and  Christ  is  one,  and  the  Church  is  one,  and  the 
chair  founded  by  the  Lord's  word  upon  a  rock  is  one." 
Basil,  a  Greek  Father  of  the  IV  Century  writes  :"We  are 
indeed  little  and  lowly,  but  by  God's  grace  we  are  always 
the  same  and  are  not  moulded  by  the  changes  of  things;  for 
our  faith  is  not  different  in  Releucia,  different  in  Constant!-, 
nople  and  different  in  Zelis;  at  Lampatus  different  and 
another  at  Rome;  but  always  one  and  the  same,"  and 


SERMON  ON  THE  UNITY  OP  THE  CHURCH  121 

finally  St.  Augustine  of  the  V  Century,  writing  against  the 
Donatists,  who  had  separated  from  the  Church  said:— 
"These  testimonies  do  we  produce  from  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures that  it  may  be  seen  that  it  is  not  easy  for  anything 
to  be  more  grevious  than  the  sacrilege  of  schism." 

My  Brethren  and  Friends: — We  have  now  shown  from 
reason,  scripture  and  tradition  that  unity  must  be  a  mark 
of  Christ's  Church.  I  ask,  could  reason  teach  any  truth 
more  forcibly,  scripture  any  truth  more  clearly,  and  tradi- 
tion any  truth  more  explicitly  than  that  all  division  and 
strife  must  be  foreign  to  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  that  the 
true  disciples  of  Christ  must  be  united  in  faith,  belief  and 
practice?  Let  us  go  now  to  the  great  Christian  divisions  to 
jsee  which  one  possesses  the  essential  mark  of  the  Church 
of  Christ 

And  first  the  Greek  Church.  Do  we  find  unity  in  it? 
No;  in  it  we  find  various  independent  patriarchs;  and  even 
in  the  Russian  Church,  unity  of  government  is  wanting  and 
numerous  sects  exist,  which  are  held  together  simply  by 
force.  Do  we  find  this  unity  in  Protestantism?  No;  Prot- 
estantism is  divided  into  various  sects  which  differ  in 
faith,  worship  and  Church  government.  There  are  at  least 
twenty  different  divisions  of  it  in  the  United  States.  Prot- 
estantism has  neither  material  nor  spiritual  unity.  The  sects 
disagree  not  only  in  accidentals,  but  in  very  essentials. 
Every  time  there  has  been  a  question  of  union,  one  sect 
would  reject  what  another  held  as  essential.  And  division 
among  them  is  not  decreasing,  but  is  still  on  the  increase. 
Yea,  according  to  Mr.  Morris,  a  great  Protestant  authority, 
there  is  no  one  sect  whose  creed  is  accepted  by  all  its  mem- 
bers and  clergy.  There  exists  also  among  the  various  divis- 
ions of  Protestantism  spiritual  strife;  one  sect  opposes  in 
many  ways  the  other;  only  upon  one  thing  are  they  united 
and  that  is  in  their  opposition  to  the  Catholic  Church.  No; 
they  can  never  be  united  because  they  reject  the  principle 
of  unity  which  is  authority  vested  supremely  in  a  head.  As 
long  as  the  Bible  and  private  interpretation  remain  the  rule 
of  faith  there  must  be  division,  as  scarcely  two  persons  left 
to  themselves  will  agree  in  their  interpretation  of  difficult 
passages  of  the  sacred  scriptures. 


122          SERMON  ON  THE  UNITY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

My  Brethren  and  Friends: — Let  us  now  view  the 
Catholic  Church  and  behold  her  wonderful  unity;  we  have 
first  in  the  Catholic  Church  the  principle  of  unity.  Catholics 
accept  their  faith  on  authority.  As  a  rule  they  receive  the 
doctrines  of  Christ  directly  from  the  priests,  who  before 
they  are  ordained  and  placed  over  the  various  congregations 
by  the  bishops,  to  whom  they  are  subject,  must  first  have 
devoted  several  years  under  able  masters  to  the  study  of 
Catholic  theology  as  gathered  from  tradition,  scriptures, 
and  Church  history.  The  bishops  in  their  turn,  are  selected, 
consecrated  and  placed  over  the  various  dioceses  by  the 
supreme  bishop,  or  the  visible  head  of  the  Church  on  earth. 
As  a  rule  the  bishops  are  the  ablest  among  the  clergy,  and 
are  men  matured  and  well  tried,  and  models  in  faith  and 
virtue.  The  Catholic  then  as  soon  as  he  hears  a  doctrine 
proclaimed  from  a  Catholic  pulpit  accepts  it  as  coming 
with  the  authority  of  the  Church;  the  Church,  that  institu- 
tion great  in  every  respect,  coming  down  the  centuries  from 
Christ  and  the  apostles,  with  the  marks  of  divinity  upon  her ; 
that  Church  which  Christ  promised  to  be  with  until  the 
end  of  time;  upon  which  He  promised  to  send  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  abide  with  her  forever,  to  teach  and  guide  her  in 
the  way  of  all  truth  and  holiness;  and  which  He  commanded 
all  men  to  hear  under  the  penalty  of  everlasting  death. 

If  the  priest  should  happen  to  teach  an  heretical  doc- 
trine, the  Catholic  knows  that  the  bishop  would  soon  cor-- 
rect  him.  If  the  bishops  should  fail  in  this  duty  the  Catho- 
lic knows  that  his  brother  bishops  would  soon  correct  him. 
And  if  the  bishops  should  fail  in  their  duty,  the  Cath- 
olic knows  for  certain,  with  the  certainty  of  faith,  that  the 
supreme  head  of  the  Church,  the  Pope  of  Rome,  to  whom 
Christ  has  said:  "Thou  art  Peter  and  upon  this  rock  I 
will  build  My  Church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it,"  will  not  fail  in  his  duty,  as  he  cannot. 
And  consequently,  a  Catholic  knows  with  the  certainty  of 
faith  that  error  and  division  can  never  fasten  themselves 
upon  or  invade  the  Church.  This  is  the  cause  of  the  wonder- 
ful unity  found  within  the  Catholic  Church  and  which  is  the 
admiration  of  all  scholars  and  thinkers.  And  go  where  you 
will  over  this  broad  world,  among  all  nations  and  people,  and 


SERMON  ON  THE  UNITY  OP  THE  CHURCH  123 

you  will  find  the  Catholic  Church  teaching  everywhere  the 
same  doctrines,  offering  up  the  same  sacrifice,  and  adminis- 
tering the  same  sacraments.  In  these  various  countries,  and 
among  these  different  nations  you  will  find  the  people  sub- 
ject to  the  priests  in  spiritual  matters,  the  priests  subject 
to  their  bishops,  and  the  bishops  subject  to  the  universal 
bishop,  the  Pope  of  Rome.  A  Catholic  from  any  country, 
no  matter  where  he  should  roam  over  the  wide  world,  will 
feel  perfectly  at  home  as  soon  as  he  enters  a  Catholic 
Church;  for  no  matter  under  what  clime  he  may 
live,  or  in  what  country  he  may  sojourn,  or  what  language 
the  people  may  speak  with  whom  his  lot  is  cast,  or  the 
color  of  their  skin,  or  the  form  of  their  government,  he  will 
find  a  bond  of  union  — he  and  they  believe  the  same  divine 
truths,  assist  at  the  same  divine  services,  and  have  the  same 
eternal  hopes,  and  are  subject  to  the  same  spiritual  rulers. 
And  this  unity  has  existed  in  the  Church  from  the  very 
beginning;  everywhere  throughout  the  whole  world;  and 
from  the  time  of  the  Apostles  till  now ! 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLINESS  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH^S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — On  last 
Sunday,  we  showed  that  unity  or  oneness  of  belief  is  a 
mark  of  Christ's  Church;  and  that  it  is  found  in  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  This  morning  we  are  going  to 
consider  another  mark  of  the  true  Church,  namely,  sanctity 
or  holiness;  and  we  are  going  likewise  to  show  that  it  is 
found  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  alone. 

What  do  we  mean  by  sanctity  or  holiness  as  a  mark 
of  the  Church  of  Christ?  By  it  we  mean  that  its  founder 
must  be  holy,  that  it  must  teach  a  holy  doctrine,  make  use 
of  holy  means,  invite  all  to  a  holy  life  and  shine  by  the 
eminent  holiness  of  thousands  of  its  children.  The  founder 
must  be  holy;  because  he  is  to  be  the  model  upon  whom  all 
its  members  are  to  be  fashioned.  Its  doctrines  must  be  holy ; 
because  they  proceed  from  the  fount  of  all  holiness ;  God  Him- 
self. Its  sacred  rites  must  be  holy;  because  God  neither  in 
the  end  nor  the  means  can  sanction  unholiness.  The  end  must 
be  holy;  because  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God  into  the 
world  was  to  bring  out  the  likeness  of  Christ  in  every 
man.  And  finally  it  must  shine  by  the  eminent  holiness  of 
many  thousands  of  its  children,  else  Christ's  work  and  mis- 
sion have  been  a  failure. 

Let  us  now  advert  to  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  "Christ  also 
loved  the  Church  and  delivered  Himself  up  for  it;  that  He 
might  sanctify  it,  cleansing  it  by  the  laver  of  water  in  the 
word  of  life.  That  He  might  present  it  to  Himself,  a  glo- 
rious Church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing, 
but  that  it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish,"  (Eph.  5, 
25-27)  ;  "But  you  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  kingly  priest- 
hood, a  holy  nation,  a  purchased  people;  that  you  may  de- 
clare his  virtues,  who  hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into 
His  marvelous  light,"  (I  Peter  II,  9).  St.  Paul  here  tells 
us  that  Christ  delivered  Himself  up  for  the  Church,  and  for 
124 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLINESS  OF  THE  CHURCH          125 

what  end?  That  He  might  sanctify  it.  And  how?  By  His 
doctrines; — "In  the  word  of  life;" — and  by  the  sacraments 
—By  the  laver  of  water."  According  to  the  same  Apostle 
it  is  to  be  a  glorious  Church  without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or 
any  such  thing,  holy  and  without  blemish ;  that  is  supremely 
holy,  eminently  holy,  holy  in  every  sense.  And  according 
to  St.  Peter,  the  Christians,  or  the  members  of  Christ's 
Church,  are  to  be  a  holy  people,  and  are  to  declare  to  the 
world  by  their  holy  lives  the  virtues  of  God.  Hence,  the 
means  also  must  be  holy,  since  the  effect  cannot  be  greater, 
or  rise  higher  than  the  cause. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  on  this  mark  of  Christ's 
Church,  the  Fathers,  and  especially  the  early  Apologists  are 
so  profuse,  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  quote  them  without 
becoming  pedantic.  At  one  time  they  speak  of  the  holiness 
of  its  doctrines,  at  another  of  the  holiness  of  its  precepts, 
and  at  another  of  the  holiness  of  its  members,  often  show- 
ing the  marvelous  interposition  on  the  part  of  God  to  bear 
witness  to  the  holiness  of  His  saints.  But  one  quotation 
from  Tertullian,  the  great  Christian  Apologist,  and  we  have 
done  with  it:  "I  fully  admit  that  there  are  some  who  may, 
if  any  man,  justly  complain  of  the  unfruitfulness  of  Chris- 
tians. First  there  will  be  the  pimps,  the  procurers,  and 
their  bath  furnishers;  next,  the  assassins,  the  poisoners, 
the  magicians;  after  that  the  soothsayers,  the  diviners,  the 
astrologers,"  (after  contrasting  the  good  and  the  evil  which 
Christians  may  bring  upon  the  state  he  continues).  "For 
now  we  call  to  witness  your  own  acts,  you  who  preside 
daily  at  the  trial  of  prisoners  and  dispose  of  the  charges 
by  your  sentences.  So  many  criminals  are  reckoned  up 
under  various  charges  of  guilt,  what  assassin  among  these, 
what  cut-purse,  what  sacrilegious  person  or  seducer,  or 
plunger  or  bather  is  also  a  Christian?  In  like  manner 
when  the  Christians  are  brought  to  trial  under  their  own 
head,  who  even  of  these  is  such  as  all  the  criminals  are!" 
(Then  he  calls  their  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  pagans 
are  the  real  criminals  and  the  ones  whom  the  state  condemns 
and  finally  concluded  by  saying:)  "No  Christian  is  there 
except  it  be  only  as  a  Christian;  or  if  it  be  anything  else 
he  is  forthwith  no  longer  a  Christian.  We  alone  then  are 


126          SERMON  ON  THE  HOLINESS  OF  THE  CHURCH 

innocent.  What  wonder  if  this  ~be  so  of  necessity  ?  Taught 
innocence  by  God  we  both  know  it  perfectly  as  being  re- 
vealed by  a  perfect  Master,  and  we  keep  it  faithfully  as 
being  committed  to  us  by  an  observer  that  may  not  be 
despised" 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  holiness  as  an  essential 
mark  of  Christ's  Church  is  not  found  outside  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  As  regards  the  Greek  Church,  suffice  it  to  say 
that  it  still  retains  the  principal  means  of  holiness,  which 
are  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  and  the  Sacraments.  But  on 
account  of  its  being  separated  from  the  true  Church,  and 
continuing  in  its  schism  it  has  borne  very  little  fruit  in  the 
way  of  sanctity.  It  is  a  fact  that  no  saints  have  been  pro- 
duced by  the  Greek  Church  since  its  separation  from  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  But  it  is  with  Protestantism  that 
we  are  principally  concerned. 

And  first  as  regards  the  founders.  Luther,  Henry  VIII, 
John  Calvin,  and  Zwinglius  were  the  founders  of  Prot- 
estantism. They  were  men;  and  no  man  is  holy  enough 
to  be  set  up  as  a  perfect  exemplar  and  model.  Secondly,  as 
regards  the  means.  If  we  look  at  the  doctrines  of  Prot- 
estantism what  do  we  find?  Nothing  definite,  nothing  cer- 
tain, but  variety  and  dissension  everywhere.  And  so  great 
is  this  that  there  is  scarcely  any  doctrine  contained  in  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  which  is  not  denied  by  some  sect.  Such 
uncertainty  and  confusion  instead  of  promoting  holiness 
must  necessarily  lead,  as  it  has,  to  rationalism,  which  is 
the  death  of  true  holiness.  The  doctrine  of  justification  by 
faith  alone  as  it  denies  the  necessity  of  good  works 
is  of  its  very  nature,  destructive  of  sanctity.  Prot- 
estantism by  rejecting  the  evangelical  counsels  and  con- 
demning mortification  and  self-denial,  takes  away  the  most 
powerful  means  to  true  holiness  of  life.  Protestantism  by 
rejecting  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  and  the  Sacraments,  there- 
by deprives  its  members  of  direct  communication  with  the 
merits  of  Calvary's  Cross.  And  especially  is  this  true  in 
regard  to  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  wherein  Christians  are 
fed  on  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  receive  the  Author 
of  grace  Himself,  become  as  it  were  one  with  Christ; — I  say 
being  deprived  of  the  principal  and  necessary  means  of 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLINESS  OF  THE  CHURCH          127 

sanctity,  they  cannot  attain  to  a  very  high  degree  of  it. 
And  thirdly,  as  regards  the  effects.  No  one  denies  that 
there  are  many  good  Protestants;  but  there  is  a  big  differ- 
ence between  being  good  and  a  saint,  between  natural  and 
supernatural  holiness.  A  saint  is  a  person  who  walks  most 
perfectly  in  the  foot-steps  of  Jesus  Christ;  who  keeps  not 
only  the  Ten  Commandments,  but  practices  the  virtues  in 
the  highest  degree;  a  saint  is  a  man,  who  is  dead  to  him- 
self and  the  things  of  this  world,  who  lives  only  for  God 
and  for  the  sanctification  of  his  own  soul,  and  the  salvation 
of  his  neighbor's;  a  saint  is  a  man  who  sees  God  in  all 
things,  and  whose  adorable  will  is  a  law  for  him  in  the 
smallest  affairs  of  life.  Protestantism  has  been  in  the 
world  for  over  three  hundred  years,  and  it  has  so  far  pro- 
duced no  one  to  be  compared  in  holiness  of  life  with  the 
least  of  the  Catholic  saints.  Surely  if  it  were  capable  of 
producing  saints  its  founders  should  have  been  such.  But 
they  were  far  from  being  saints.  To  say  the  least  Martin 
Luther  broke  the  solemn  vows  which  he  had  made  to  God; 
was  a  defamer  of  character,  a  hypocrite;  coarse  and, filthy 
in  language,  vulgar,  intemperate  and  eaten  up  with  the 
spirit  of  pride.  Henry  VIII  was  most  cruel  and  immoral. 
John  Calvin  was  a  tyrant  and  a  despot.  And  Zwinglius 
was  a  slave  to  his  passions.  Martin  Luther  himself  de- 
scribes the  immediate  effects  of  the  doctrines  of  the  reform- 
ers upon  the  people  of  his  day:  "The  world  grows  every 
day  the  worse  for  this  teaching;  and  the  misery  of  it  is 
that  men  are  nowadays  more  covetous,  more  hard-hearted, 
more  corrupt,  more  licentious,  and  more  wicked  than  of 
old  under  the  Papacy ;"  and  the  mild  Melancthon,  who  was 
the  most  conservative  of  all  the  reformers,  confirms  this  ob- 
servation of  his  master: — "In  these  latter  times  the  world 
has  taken  to  itself  a  boundless  license;  very  many  are  so 
unbridled  as  to  throw  off  every  bond  of  discipline,  although 
at  the  same  time  they  pretend  that  they  have  faith,  living 
meanwhile  in  truly  cyclopean  indifference  and  barbarism, 
and  in  slavish  subjection  to  the  devil,  who  drives  them  to 
adulteries,  murders  and  other  atrocious  crimes." 

My  Brethren  and    Friends,    we    now    begin    a    more 
pleasing  task,  and  one  more  congenial  to  our  taste,  namely, 


128          SERMON  ON  THE  HOLINESS  OP. THE  CHURCH 

to  show  how  this  mark  of  holiness  is  found  pre-eminently 
in  the  Catholic  Church.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  founder  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  and  the  model  upon  which  she  exhorts 
her  children  to  be  fashioned  and  formed.  Because  He  alone 
being  the  way,  the  truth  and  the  life,  could  say:  "Follow 
me,  walk  in  my  foot-steps  and  thou  shalt  be  perfect."  Him, 
the  Catholic  Church  holds  up  to  her  members  as  the  perfect 
pattern  and  exemplar.  In  the  Catholic  Church  are  found 
all  the  means  of  sanctity.  In  her  are  found  all  the  doc- 
trines of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  illumination  of  the  dark- 
ened intellect  of  man ;  and  they  are  taught  by  her  with 
definiteness  and  certainty.  By  her,  not  one  or  two  sac- 
raments are  administered,  but  the  seven.  And  by  these 
the  whole  life  of  the  Christian  is  sanctified,  and  special 
helps  are  given  him  in  every  need  and  necessity.  He  is 
watched  over  and  provided  for  spiritually  from  his  birth 
to  the  grave.  Every  one  of  the  doctrines  and  the  prac- 
tices of  the  fatholic  Church  necessarily  leads  to  holiness 
of  life  as  they  all  come  either  directly  or  indirectly  from 
the  fountain  of  holiness,  God  Himself.  Take  for  example 
the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 
The  Mass  is  the  continuation  and  the  representation  of  Cal- 
vary's sacrifice.  Every  Catholic  believes  that  when  he 
assists  at  it,  there  is  being  renewed  before  him  the  Sacri- 
fice of  the  Cross;  that  Christ  is  really  present  on  the  altar 
to  be  immolated;  and  that  He  is  going  to  shed  mystically 
His  blood  for  him  and  apply  personally  to  him  the  merits 
of  Calvary's  cross.  Every  time  a  Catholic  goes  to  confession 
he  is  required  first  to  examine  his  conscience  by  the  norm  of 
the  Ten  Commandments  to  see  what  sins  he  has  commit- 
ted; secondly,  to  confess  them  as  they  are,  and  the  num- 
ber, and  such  circumstances  as  may  change  their  nature;  and 
thirdly,  to  conceive  sorrow  for  them,  and  to  be  resolved 
with  God's  assistance  not  to  commit  them  again.  A  Cath- 
olic knows  that  if  he  does  not  do  this,  his  confes- 
sion is  worthless — T  say  that  considering  the  Mass  and 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance  simply  from  a  natural  stand- 
point they  must  work  powerfully  for  holiness  of  life.  But 
we  know  that  the  Mass  is  a  reality  and  that  Christ  is 
present  and  immolated.  And  we  know  that  the  Sacra- 


SERMON  ON  THE  HOLINESS  OF  THE  CHURCH          129 

ment  of  Penance  has  been  instituted  by  Christ  for  the 
taking  away  of  sins,  after  the  second  shipwreck  of  our 
souls.  All  the  laws  of  the  Church  are  intended  to  help  and 
do  help  Catholics  to  keep  better  the  divine  law.  To  souls 
who  are  called  to  a  higher  life,  like  the  young  man  men- 
tioned in  the  Gospel,  the  Church  offers  the  counsels  of 
perfection.  She  tells  them  to  go  sell  all  they  have,  conse- 
crate themselves  to  God  by  virginity,  and  give  up  their 
wills  in  the  religious  state,  and  thus  uprooting  the  three 
great  obstacles,  they  may  more  easily  attain  to  perfection 
of  life.  The  Catholic  Church  holds  up  as  the  end  of  man 
union  with  God  in  heaven;  union  of  intellect  with  the 
divine  intellect,  and  union  of  will  with  the  divine  will, 
from  which  will  follow  eternal  happiness  and  bliss.  And 
what  is  the  effect?  The  Catholic  Church,  in  every  age,  in 
every  country,  and  among  all  peoples,  has  begotten  and 
reared  up  numberless  saints;  men  and  women  who  were 
perfect  followers  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  crucified  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh  and  lived  the  lives  of  angels  on  this  earth; 
men  and  women  who  gave  up  all,  home,  family  ties, 
country,  to  spend  and  be  spent  in  the  service  of  God  and 
man ;  men  and  women  in  whom  sacrifice,  meekness,  gentle- 
ness, mildness,  patience,  'humility,  forbearance,  long-suf- 
fering, constancy,  modesty  and  chastity  shone  out  so 
brightly  as  to  cause  those  who  beheld  them  to  become 
enamored  of  these  Christlike  virtues.  These  are  the  Cath- 
olic Saints,  our  spiritual  heroes,  who  are  held  up  to  us  for 
admiration  and  imitation  by  our  loving  mother,  the  Church. 
Their  number  is  legion,  and  they  are  the  choice  fruits  and 
the  fair  flowers  of  every  age,  sex  and  condition.  Their  au- 
thentic lives  are  written  in  every  tongue  to  be  studied  by 
all  those  who  wish  to  see  this  pre-eminent  mark  of  the 
Catholic  Church — holiness  or  sanctity. 


SEKMON  ON  CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends : — We  have 
now  reached  the  third  mark  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  namely 
its  Catholicity.  And  by  it  we  mean  that  the  Church  must 
have  existed  in  all  ages,  taught  all  nations,  maintained  all 
truth  and  been  diffused  over  the  whole  earth  among  all 
nations.  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  all  men.  The 
world  at  His  coming  was  sunk  down  into  the  worst  errors, 
both  intellectual  and  moral.  He  came  to  save  men  by  His 
doctrines,  which  were  to  enlighten  their  minds,  and  by  His 
sacred  ordinances,  which  were  to  strengthen  their  wills. 
But  Ch'rist  was  human  as  well  as  divine,  resorting  only  to 
the  supernatural  when  it  was  necessary.  Hence  He  taught 
by  word  of  mouth,  and  gathered  around  Him  men,1  whom  He 
instructed  and  sent  forth  to  convert  the  whole  world.  Christ 
as  man  remained  on  this  earth  but  thirty-three  years,  and 
the  last  of  the  apostles  died  at  the  end  of  the  first,  or  at  the 
latest,  the  beginning  of  the  second  century.  Before  the 
death  of  the  last  apostle  their  sound  had  gone  forth  into  the 
whole  world,  and  Christians,  and  Christian  congregations 
were  found  everywhere.  Christ  wishes  all  men  to  come  into 
His  Kingdom  and  be  saved.  But  unless  His  Church  has 
been  everywhere,  is  everywhere,  and  will  be  everywhere,  how 
can  we  believe  this?  His  Church  must  be  within  the  reach 
of  everyone.  We  do  not  say  that  it  must  be  found  within 
every  town,  hamlet,  village  and  district;  but  it  must  be 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood.  We  claim  that  it  must  be 
in  every  country  and  among  all  peoples;  that  it  must  have 
been  among  all  nations  and  in  all  climes.  The  purpose  of 
Christ's  coming  into  the  world,  and  the  success  of  His  work 
demand  this.  Let  us  now  turn,  my  brethren  and  friends, 
to  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

"For,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  to  the  going  down, 
my  name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles,  and  in  every  place 
130 


SERMON  ON  CATHOLICITY  OP  THE  CHURCH          131 

there  is  a  sacrifice,  and  there  is  offered  to  my  name  a  clean 
oblation;  for  my  name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles,  saith 
the  Lord  of  Hosts."  (Malachias  I,  verse  2)  ;  "And  this 
gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world 
for  a  testimony  of  all  nations,  and  then  shall  the  consum- 
mation come."  (St.  Mathew  XXIV,  14)  ;  "And  he  said  to 
them :  'Go  ye  into  the  whole  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature.'"  (St.  Mark  XV,  15)  ;  "But  you  shall  re- 
ceive the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  coming  upon  you,  and  you 
shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me  in  Jerusalem  and  in  all  Judea 
and  Samaria,  and  even  to  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth." 
(Acts  I,  verse  8)  ;  "But  I  say:  'Have  they  not  heard?  Yea, 
verily  their  sound  hath  gone  forth  into  all  the  earth  and 
their  words  unto  the  end  of  the  whole  world.' "  (Romans 
X,  18).  From  these  texts  we  learn  that  God  is  to  be  wor- 
shipped in  every  place  by  a  special  rite;  that  the  gospel 
shall  be  preached  to  every  nation,  and  in  every  nation  there 
shall  be  found  Christians;  that  every  creature  (morally 
speaking)  is  to  hear  the  genuine  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ; 
that  the  apostles  through  their  successors  are  to  be  wit- 
nesses to  the  gospel  of  Christ  in  every  part  of  the  earth ;  and 
finally  that  the  sound  of  their  voice  has  gone  forth  into  the 
whole  world,  and  shall  be  re-echoed  until  the  end  of  the 
ages.  All  this  shows  without  a  shadow  of  doubt  that 
Christ's  Church  is  to  be  Catholic  or  universal. 

What  have  the  immediate  successors  of  the  apostles  to 
say  in  confirmation  of  this  doctrine?  Listen  to  their  clear 
words.  St.  Ignatius  of  the  I  Century  in  his  introduction 
to  the  martydom  of  St.  Polycarp  says:  "The  Church  of 
God  which  dwelleth  in  Smyrna  to  the  Church  of  God,  which 
dwelleth  in  Philomelium,  and  all  the  members  in  every  place 
of  the  holy  and  Catholic  Church,  mercy,  peace  and  love  from 
God  the  Father  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  multiplied ;" 
Irenaeus  of  the  II  Century  writing  against  heresies  said: 
"When  they  believed  not,  last  of  all  He  sent  His  Son.  He 
sent  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  whom  when  the  wicked  hus- 
bandmen had  slain,  they  cast  Him  out  of  the  vineyard. 
Wherefore  did  the  Lord  deliver  it,  now  no  longer  fenced  in, 
but  opened  unto  the  whole  world,  to  other  husbandmen,  who 
gave  in  the  fruits  in  their  seasons,  the  tower  of  election  be- 


132  SERMON  ON  CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

ing  everywhere  exalted  and  beautiful.  For  everywhere  is 
the  Church  visible,  and  everywhere  is  there  a  wine  press 
dug;  for  everywhere  are  those  who  receive  the  Spirit;" 
Origen  of  the  III  Century  writing  against  Celsus  said: 
"And  who  that  goes  back  in  mind  to  Christ,  when  He 
declared  'This  gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  whole  world 
for  a  testimony  to  them  and  to  the  nations'  can  help  being 
filled  with  wonder  when  he  sees  that  according  to  His  word 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  has  been  preached  to  all  under 
heaven,  both  the  Greek  and  barbarians,  to  the  wise  and 
the  foolish.  For  the  word  spoken  with  power  has  vanquished 
the  whole  nature  of  man,  and  there  is  not  a  race  of  men  to 
be  seen  that  has  refused  to  receive  the  doctrine  of  Jesus;" 
Basil  of  the  IV  Century  cries  out :  "Stand  fast  in  the  faith; 
look  around  the  world  and  see  how  small  is  the  part  infected 
with  this  distemper,  whilst  all  the  rest  of  the  Church  which 
from  one  end  of  the  ivorld  to  the  other  has  received  the 
gospel,  abides  in  this  sound  and  unperverted  doctrine;"  and 
St.  Augustine  of  the  V  Century  wrote:  "Consider  I  pray 
you  under  what  folly  the  heretics  are  laboring.  They  are 
cut  off  from  the  union  with  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  hold- 
ing a  part  and  letting  go  the  whole,  will  not  communicate 
with  the  whole  world  over  which  the  glory  of  Christ  has 
spread.  But  we  Catholics  are  in  every  nation,  because  we 
communicate  with  every  land  wherein  the  glory  of  Christ 
is  spread." 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  there  is  no  Church  which 
possesses  this  mark  but  the  one  which  bears  the  name,  Cath- 
olic. In  the  first  place  all  the  other  Christian  denomina- 
tions are  either  called  after  their  founders  or  take  their 
name  from  some  particular  tenet  or  practice  of  the  Church, 
or  from  the  country  in  which  they  principally  exist  or  ori- 
ginated. Thus  for  example,  the  Lutheran  Church  is  called 
after  Martin  Luther,  its  founder;  the  Baptist,  from  their 
peculiar  belief  in  baptism;  the  Presbyterian  from  the  form 
of  their  Church  government;  the  Methodists  from  the 
methodical  rule  of  life  of  its  founders;  and  the  Greek  or 
Russian,  from  the  language  of  the  liturgy  or  the  country 
in  which  they  are  chiefly  found  and  in  which  there  exists 
the  seat  of  their  government.  In  the  second  place,  none  of 


133 

them  have  subsisted  in  all  ages.  The  Greek  Church  which 
is  the  oldest,  and  is  chiefly  a  schismatic  body,  separated 
from  the  Catholic  Church  at  the  end  of  the  IX  Century. 
The  Protestant  denominations  have  all  come  into  existence 
since  the  beginning  of  the  XVI  Century.  In  the  third  place, 
not  one  of  them  nor  all  of  them  together  have  converted  any 
nation.  It  is  an  historical  fact  that  no  nation  has  received 
the  faith  from,  or  been  converted  to  Christianity  by  non- 
catholic  missionaries. 

In  the  fourth  place,  they  are  not  diffused  over  the  whole 
earth  and  among  all  nations.  They  are  confined  to  certain 
countries,  certain  peoples  and  certain  localities.  And 
finally,  they  are  not  Catholic  in  number.  The  Greek  Church 
does  not  comprise  one-fourth  of  the  whole  body  of  Chris- 
tians; and  the  Protestant  sects  separately  are  a  mere 
handful  of  the  whole  number  of  Christians,  and  taken  col- 
lectively,— all  united, — they  constitute  a  little  over  one- 
fourth  of  the  totality  of  Christians.  Hence  we  justly  conclude 
that  the  non-Catholic  denominations  taken  as  a  whole  or  in 
part  do  not  possess  the  mark  of  Catholicity. 

And  now,  my  Brethren  and  Friends,  let  us  consider  the 
Church  which  alone  bears  the  name,  Catholic.  Catholic 
comes  from  the  Greek  word  "katholon",  which  means  uni- 
versality or  totality.  Our  Church  has  always  valued  and 
prized  this  name.  Heretks  at  times  have  tried  to  dispute 
her'  exclusive  right  to  it,  but  have  been  defeated,  and  have 
been  obliged  to  give  it  to  her  alone.  At  the  present  time  it 
would  be  impossible  for  any  other  Church  to  get  the  title, 
or  to  make  men  cease  calling  us  Catholic.  We  alone  have 
borne  the  name  and  have  been  known  by  it;  we  alone 
bear  the  name  and  are  known  by  it;  and  we  alone  shall 
bear  the  name  to  the  end  of  time  and  be  known  by  it,  be- 
cause God  has  willed  it. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  the  Catholic  Church  took 
its  origin  on  Pentecost  Sunday,  nearly  nineteen  hundred 
years  ago.  On  that  day,  after  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  Apostles  went  forth  into  the  whole  world  to  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.  At  the  first  sermon  of  St.  Peter, 
three  thousand  were  converted,  and  they  were  inhabitants 
of  almost  every  nation  under  the  sun.  On  the  second  day, 


134          SERMON  ON  CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

this  number  was  increased  to  five  thousand.  Then  St.  Peter 
preached  in  Pontus,  Galatia,  Cappodocia,  Bithynia  and 
Achaia.  James  the  less,  remained  in  Jerusalem.  Andrew 
preached  in  Scythia,  and  probably  passed  over  into  Greece. 
Philip  preached  in  Phrygia,  and  suffered  martyrdom  at 
Hieropolis.  Bartholomew  carried  the  faith  into  India. 
Thomas  preached  in  Parthia  and  Media.  Matthew  carried 
the  gospel  into  Syria  and  Persia.  Jude  preached  the  faith 
in  Arabia  and  greater  Armenia.  Simon  planted  the  gospel 
in  Egypt.  Mathias  evangelized  Ethiopia.  Mark  founded 
the  Church  at  Alexandria.  And  Luke,  Barnabas,  Timothy 
and  Titus,  were  the  companions  of  St.  Paul  in  his  missionary 
journeys  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  Asia  Minor. 
Hence  before  the  death  of  the  last  Apostle,  the  Church  was 
everywhere,  and  was  truly  Catholic.  In  her  fold  were  found 
all  classes.  The  rich  and  the  poor,  the  learned  and  the 
illiterate,  the  nobleman  and  the  rustic,  the  master  and  the 
slave,  the  old  and  the  young,  became  members  of  the  Catho- 
lic Church ;  which  was  synonymous  with  Christianity.  And 
since  that  day,  the  Church  has  been  among  all  nations  and 
peoples.  Alienations  have  received  the  faith  from  the  Cath- 
olic Church.  Her  bishops  and  priests  were  the  missionaries 
and  civilizers  of  the  nations.  To  the  Britons  in  the  Second 
Century,  Pope  Eleutherius  sent  Fugatus  and  Damianus;  to 
the  Scots  in  the  Third  Century,  Pope  Victor  sent  Marcus 
and  Dionysius;  to  Ireland  in  the  Fifth  Century,  Pope  Cel- 
estine  sent  Patrick;  and  to  England  in  the  Sixth  Century, 
Pope  Gregory  sent  Augustine. 

Boniface  went  into  Germany,  Aucharius  into  Sweden, 
Adelbert  in-to  Denmark  and  Olaf  the  Second,  into  Norway. 
Cyril  and  Methodius  preached  the  faith  among  the  Slavon- 
ians, and  Ludmilla,  Wenceslaus  and  Stephen  preached  it  to 
the  Bohemians,  Poles,  Russians  and  Hungarians.  Francis 
Xavier  carried  the  faith  into  China  and  Japan,  and  with 
Christopher  Columbus  came  Spanish  missionaries  to  preach 
and  plant  the  faith  in  our  own  beloved  land,  America.  And 
Mexico,  Central  and  South  America  received  the  faith  from 
the  Jesuits,  Dominicans  and  Francsicans.  All  the  mission- 
aries were  not  only  bishops  and  priests  of  the  Catholic 


SERMON  ON  CATHOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH  135 

Church,  but  most  of  them  are  canonized  saints,  and  were 
sent  forth  by  the  bishop  of  Rome,  the  vicar  of  Christ  on 
earth. 

The  Catholic  Church,  at  the  present  day,  is  everywhere 
throughout  the  whole  world,  and  has  a  membership  of  al- 
most three  hundred  million  souls.  No  matter  where  you 
may  go  over  the  world  you  will  find  the  Catholic  Church. 
You  will  find  her  in  Greenland,  in  Canada,  in  the  United 
States,  in  Mexico,  in  Central  America,  in  Cuba,  and  Hawaii. 
Cross  the  ocean  and  you  will  find  her  in  Norway  and 
Sweden  and  Denmark,  in  England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  and 
Wales.  You  will  find  her  in  France,  in  Germany,  in  Switzer- 
land, in  Italy,  in  Greece.  Go  down  into  Africa  and  you  will 
find  her  not  only  on  the  outskirts,  but  in  the  very  heart 
of  the  country.  You  will  find  her  in  Russia,  Turkey,  Arabia 
and  Persia.  She  is  in  India,  in  the  Chinese  Empire,  in 
Japan  and  in  the  Phillipine  Islands,  and  throughout  the  con- 
tinent of  Australia.  She  is  in  all  these  countries,  teaching 
the  various  peoples  and  races  and  nations  the  same  doc- 
trines, offering  up  among  them  the  same  sacrifice  and  ad- 
ministering the  same  sacraments.  Truly  this  mark  alone 
proves  her  to  be  divine,  and  the  church  established  by  Christ 
to  continue  His  work  until  the  end  of  time! 


SEEMON  ON  THE  APOSTOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — For  the 
last  few  Sundays  we  have  been  discussing  the  marks  of 
Christ's  Church,  and  we  have  shown,  I  think  conclusively, 
that  unity,  sanctity  and  catholicity  are  the  first  three  marks 
stamped  by  God  upon  His  Church;  and  that  they  are  pos- 
sessed by  the  Catholic  Church  alone.  Today  we  are  going 
to  speak  on  the  fourth,  or  last  mark,  the  one  from  which 
the  others  flow,  and  consequently  the  most  important — I 
mean  apostolicity.  And  by  apostolicity  is  meant  that  the 
Church  must  have  been  founded  by  Christ  on  His  Apostles, 
must  be  governed  by  their  lawful  successors  and  must  teach 
and  never  cease  to  teach  their  doctrines. 

To  most  Christians  there  can  be  no  question  that  the 
Church  of  Christ  must  teach  the  doctrines  of  Christ  and  His 
Apostles.  But  how  are  the  people  to  discover  this?  By 
apostolicity  of  succession.  Few  indeed  are  the  men  who  in 
search  for  the  Church,  could  discover  which  among  the 
many  Churches,  teaches  the  doctrines  of  Christ  and  His 
Apostles.  This  would  require  learning  and  ability,  leisure 
and  years  of  study.  Hence  for  most  Christians  apostolicity 
of  succession  is  the  touch-stone  of  apostolicity  of  doctrine. 
In  other  words  to  know  whether  a  certain  Church  teaches 
the  doctrines  of  Christ  and  His  Apostles  is  to  find  out 
whether  its  ministers  can  trace  their  descent  back  through 
the  ages  to  the  Apostles  and  to  Christ,  and  have  received 
their  commission  from  Him. 

I  think  it  will  be  admitted  by  all  those  who  have  read 
the  "Gospels"  and  the  "Acts"  that  Christ  when  He  began 
His  public  life,  called  to  Himself  twelve  men  now  known  as 
Apostles.  These  He  instructed  in  His  doctrines  for  three 
years,  and  then  sent  them  forth  into  the  world  to  preach 
the  truths  which  they  had  learned  from  Him.  And  He  prom- 
ised to  send  the  Holy  Ghost  to  assist  them  in  their  arduous 

136 


SERMON  ON  THE  APOSTOLICITY  OP  THE  CHURCH      137 

work.  After  a  while  they  too  assembled  around  them  other 
men  whom  they  instructed,  imposed  hands  upon  and  sent 
forth.  These  facts  I  believe  will  be  admitted  by  all  Chris- 
tians. Let  us  now  consult  the  Scriptures. 

"And  Jesus  coming  spoke  to  them,  saying:  'All  power 
js  given  to  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Going  therefore  teach 
ye  all  nations;  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Teaching  them  to 
observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you;  and 
behold  I  am  with  you  all  days,  even  to  the  consummation 
of  the  world,' "  (Matthew  XXVIII,  18-19-20) ;  "He  said 
therefore  to  them  again:  'Peace  be  to  you.  As  the  Father 
has  sent  Me  I  also  send  you,'  "  (John  XX,  20)  ;  "And  they 
were  persevering  in  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostles,  and  in 
the  communication  of  the  breaking  of  bread  and  in  prayer," 
(Acts  II,  42)  ;  "And  how  shall  they  preach  unless  they  be 
sent,  as  it  is  written :  'How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them 
that  preach  the  Gospel  of  peace,  of  them  that  bring  glad 
tidings  of  good  things,'  "  (Eomans  X,  15)  ;  "And  He  gave 
some  Apostles  and  some  Prophets  and  some  others  evange- 
lists and  some  others  pastors  and  doctors,"  (Ephesians  IV, 
22) ;  "Neither  doth  any  man  take  the  honor  to  himself, 
but  he  that  is  called  by  God  as  Aaron  was,"  (Hebrew  V,  4) ; 
"And  the  things  which  thou  hast  heard  of  Me  by  many 
witnesses,  the  same  commend  to  faithful  men  who  shall  be 
fit  to  teach  others  also,"  (II  Tim.  II,  2).  I  could  go  on 
multiplying  texts,  but  I  think  these  are  sufficient.  From 
them  we  learn  that  the  Apostles  are  to  have  successors  until 
the  end  of  time;  that  the  faithful  continued  in  the  doctrine 
of  the  Apostles;  that  no  man  must  preach  unless  he  be  sent; 
that  apostles,  pastors  and  teachers  receive  their  authority 
from  God;  that  no  man  must  take  upon  himself  the  honor 
of  the  apostleship,  but  must  be  called  by  God  as  Aaron  was ; 
and  that  the  apostles  did  teach  other  men  the  things  which 
they  had  been  taught,  and  sent  them  forth  as  they  had  been 
sent. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  what  have  the  Fathers  of 
the  Church,  the  successors  of  the  Apostles  in  the  teaching 
office  to  say  about  this  mark  of  the  Church?  I  shall,  as  I 
have  done  with  the  other  marks  of  the  Church,  quote  a  few 


138      SERMON  ON  THE  APOSTOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

words  from  one  of  the  Fathers  of  each  of  the  first  Five 
Centuries  during  which  time  all  non-Catholics  admit  that  the 
doctrines  of  Christ  were  taught  pure  and  undefiled.  Clement 
of  the  I  Century  in  an  epistle  to  the  Corinthians  writes :  "So 
also  our  apostles  knew  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
contention  would  arise  on  account  of  the  episcopacy.  And 
for  this  cause,  having  a  perfect  knowledge,  they  appointed 
the  aforesaid  (bishops  and  deacons)  and  then  gave  direction 
in  what  manner  when  they  die,  other  approved  men  should 
succeed  them  in  the  ministry."  Irenaeus  of  the  II  Century, 
writing  against  heresies  says :  "The  blessed  apostles  then 
having  founded  and  built  up  the  Church,  committed  the 
sacred  office  of  the  episcopacy  to  Linus  of  whom  Paul  makes 
mention  in  his  epistles  to  Timothy.  To  him  succeeded 
Anacletus,  and  after  him — the  third  from  the  apostles  who 
obtained  that  episcopacy — was  Clement,  who  had  seen  and 
conferred  with  the  blessed  apostles,  and  who  still  had  be- 
fore his  eyes  the  familiar  preaching  and  tradition  of  the 
Apostles.  But  to  this  Clement  succeeded  Evaristus  and 
to  Evaristus,  Alexander.  Next  to  him, — thus  the  sixth 
from  the  apostles — Sixtus  was  appointed,  and  after  him, 
Telesphorus,  who  suffered  a  glorious  martrydom;  next, 
Hyginus,  then  Pius,  after  whom  was  Anicetus.  To  Anicetus 
succeeded  Soter ;  and  to  him — the  twelfth  in  succession  from 
the  Apostles — succeeded  Eleutherius,  who  now  holds  the 
episcopate."  Origen  of  the  III  Century  in  a  work  on  "Prin- 
ciples" wrote:  "There  being  many  who  fancy  that  they 
think  the  things  of  Christ,  and  some  of  these  think  differ- 
ently from  those  who  had  gone  before,  let  there  be  preserved 
the  ecclesiastical  teaching  which  has  been  delivered  by  the 
order  of  succession  from  the  Apostles  and  which  remains 
even  to  the  present  time  in  the  Churches;  that  alone  is  to 
be  believed  to  be  the  truth  which  in  nothing  differs  from  the 
ecclesiastical  and  apostolical  tradition."  Gregory  Nazian- 
zen  of  the  IV  Century  in  an  oration  says:  "What  absurd- 
ity! These  men  (the  Apollinarists)  announce  to  us  today 
wisdom  that  has  been  hidden  since  the  time  of  Christ.  This 
truly  deserves  our  tears,  for  if  faith  took  its  rise  hut  some 
thirty  years  ago,  though  it  is  nearly  four  hundred  years 
since  Christ  appeared,  our  gospel  has  been  for  so  long  a 


SERMON  ON  THE  APOSTOLICITY  OF  THE  CHURCH      139 

time  void;  our  faith  void;  and  in  vain  have  the  martyrs 
testified;  in  vain  have  so  great  prelates  and  so  many  pre- 
sided over  the  people  and  grace  is  from  the  verses  (of 
Apollinaris)  and  not  from  faith."  And  finally  St.  Augus- 
tine of  the  V.  Century  in  an  epistle  against  the  Manicheans 
exclaims:  "In  the  Catholic  Church  the  agreement  of  people 
and  nations  keeps  me  secure;  an  authority  begun  with 
miracles;  nourished  with  hope,  increased  with  charity, 
strengthened  by  antiquity  keeps  me;  the  succession  of 
priests  from  the  very  chair  of  the  Apostle  Peter, — to  whom 
the  Lord  after  His  resurrection  committed  His  sheep  to  "be 
fed — down  even  to  the  present  bisJiop  keeps  me.  Nay,  if  all 
throughout  the  whole  world  were  such  as  you,  most  idly 
slander  them  what  has  the  chair  of  the  Roman  Church 
in  which  Peter  sat,  and  in  which  Anastasius  now  sits  done 
to  thee?  or(  the  chair)  of  the  Church  of  Jerusalem  in  which 
James  sat  and  in  which  John  now  sits  done  to  thee?  by 
which  (chair  or  bishops)  we  are  knit  together  in  Catholic 
unity  and  from  which  with  guilty  frenzy  you  have  separated. 
My  Brethren  and  Friends,  as  regards  apostolicity  of 
succession,  let  me  say  first  a  word  or  two  about  the  Greek 
Church.  You  all  know  that  it  is  considered  a  schismatic 
body ;  that  is,  it  is  in  revolt  against  ecclesiastical  authority. 
The  schism  began  in  the  year  867.  The  author  of  it  was 
Photius,  an  intruder  in  the  patriarchal  See  of  Constanti- 
nople. Hence  the  day  on  which  it  separated  from  the 
Catholic  Church,  its  apostolicity  of  succession  was  broken. 
Since  then  it  has  become  heretical,  as  it  denies  the  proces- 
sion of  the  Holy  Ghost  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  the 
doctrine  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  and  the  Papal  Infal- 
libility. As  regards  apostolicity  of  succession  of  the 
Protestant  sects,  they  have  appeared,  all  of  them,  on  the 
scene  of  history  at  least  fifteen  hundred  years  too  late.  I 
shall  give  you  the  names  of  the  founders  of  the  main 
branches  of  Protestantism,  the  countries  in  which  the  sects 
originated,  and  the  year  of  their  births.  The  Anabaptist 
Church  was  founded  in  Germany  by  Nicholas  Stork,  in  the 
year  1521 ;  the  Lutheran,  in  Germany,  by  Martin  Luther, 
in  the  year  1524;  the  Episcopalian,  by  Henry  the  Eighth, 
in  England  1534;  the  Presbyterian,  in  Scotland,  by  General 


140      SERMON  ON  THE  APOSTOLICITY  OP  THE  CHURCH 

Assembly,  in  the  year  1560;  the  Congregationalist,  in  Eng- 
land, by  Kobert  Browne,  in  the  year  1583;  the  Baptist,  in 
Rhode  Island,  by  Roger  Williams,  in  the  year  1639;  the 
Quakers,  in  England,  by  George  Fox,  in  the  year  1647;  the 
Methodist,  in  England,  by  John  Wesley,  1739,  and  the 
Campbellite  or  Christian  Church  in  Virginia,  by  Alexander 
Campbell,  in  the  year  1813.  Therefore,  as  all  the  other 
sects  are  offshoots  of  these  and  like  them,  having  men  for 
their  founders,  originating  in  the  modern  world,  coming 
into  existence  fifteen  hundred  years  after  Christ  and  the 
Apostles  and  their  ministers  not  being  able  to  trace  their 
descent  back  to  them,  and  not  having  the  Holy  Ghost  abid- 
ing with  them,  the  non-Catholic  denominations  do  not  pos- 
sess the  mark  of  Apostolicity. 

On  the  other  hand,  my  brethren  and  friends,  the  Cath- 
olic Church  was  founded  by  Jesus  Christ  in  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem, in  the  year,  33.  Her  ministers  can  trace  their  descent 
back  in  an  unbroken  line  to  the  very  Apostles  who  emerged 
from  out  the  upper  room  at  Jerusalem  to  go  forth  into  the 
whole  world.  Every  minister  of  the  Catholic  Church,  no  mat- 
ter where  he  is  preaching  and  officiating,  can  trace  back  his 
commission  through  the  ages  to  the  Apostles,  to  Christ. 
It  is  a  simple  process.  Allow  me  to  illustrate  this  in  my 
own  case.  I  was  ordained  and  sent  forth  by  Bishop  Dona- 
hue, who  received  his  appointment  from  Leo  XIII  and  was 
consecrated  by  Cardinal  Gibbons.  Leo  the  XIII,  was  the 
258th  successor  in  an  unbroken  line  of  St.  Peter,  the  prince 
of  the  Apostles,  the  first  bishop  of  Rome.  No  man  in  the 
Catholic  Church  is  allowed  to  preach,  offer  sacrifice  and 
administer  the  sacraments  unless  he  has  been  ordained  and 
commissioned  by  some  Catholic  Bishop  who  is  in  commun- 
ion with  the  See  of  Rome,  which  has  existed  from  the 
days  of  Peter  and  has  been  filled  by  his  legitimate  suc- 
cessors. As  regards  apostolicity  of  doctrine,  wherever 
the  true  successors  of  the  Apostles  are  found,  there  also 
is  found  the  doctrine  of  the  Apostles,  for  St.  Matthew  the 
Evangelist  informs  us:  "And  Jesus  coming,  spoke  unto 
them  saying:  'All  power  is  given  unto  Me  in  heaven  and 
in  earth.  Going,  therefore  teach  ye  all  nations;  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 


141 

Holy  Ghost ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  have  commanded  you ;  and  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days 
even  to  the  consummation  of  the  world;'"  (Matthew 
XXVIII,  18-19-20). 

In  conclusion,  my  dear  friends,  I  ask  you  to  study 
the  Catholic  Church.  She  is  worthy  of  the  consideration  of 
every  serious  student.  The  Church  courts  inquiry;  she  wel- 
comes the  light;  she  fears  only  ignorance.  I  ask  you  to 
study  her  doctrines  and  her  history.  Do  not  confine  your 
investigation  to  what  her  enemies  have  to  say  of  her.  They 
have  calumniated  and  misrepresented  her  during  the  past 
in  every  conceivable  manner;  in  history,  through  the  novel, 
on  the  stage  and  even  through  pictorial  and  art  magazines. 
The  English  language,  as  one  non-Catholic  writer  has  said, 
for  three  hundred  years  has  been  in  conspiracy  against 
truth  (meaning  the  Church) .  But  the  day  is  past ;  a  brighter 
era  has  set  in;  the  people  want  the  truth;  and  bigoted, 
prejudiced  writers  or  speakers  cannot  play  any  longer  upon 
the  credulity  of  the  people. 

Philosophy,  in  the  mind  of  the  Catholic  Church,  is  the 
handmaid  of  religion.  Philosophy  as  used  by  the  Church 
leads  souls  to  the  very  threshold  of  faith,  when  revelation 
steps  in  to  complete  and  perfect  the  truths  of  reason  and 
conscience.  Hence  the  Church  has  her  own  philosophic 
system.  Her  philosophy  supports  her  theology,  and  her 
theology  steadies  her  philosophy,  and  has  kept  her  skirts 
clean  of  the  errors  of  pantheism,  dualism,  fatalism  and 
materialism,  with  which  all  philosophical  schools  outside  of 
her  have  been  more  or  less  tainted. 

Catholic  theology,  as  taught  by  the  master  theologians, 
gives  an  answer — a  clear,  reasonable  answer  to  the  deepest 
inquiries  of  the  soul.  In  the  "Summa"  of  Thomas  Aquinas 
there  is  no  question  of  God,  heaven  and  the  soul,  which  has 
not  been  treated  in  a  masterly  way.  In  this  "Summa"'  reason 
has  reached  its  limit,  and  when  it  can  soar  no  higher  on  its 
own  wings,  it  mounts  revelation  and  is  lost  in  the  twilight 
of  infinity. 

The  Catholic  Church  has  been  in  the  world  for  nineteen 
hundred  years,  and  although  hoary  with  age,  she  is  not 
antiquated;  she  renews  her  strength  and  her  youth  like  the 


142      SERMON  ON  THE  APOSTOLICITY  OP  THE  CHURCH 

eagle.  She  saw  the  Roman  Empire  in  its  palmiest  days,  and 
she  witnessed  its  death.  She  saw  the  Republics  of  Athens 
and  Venice  rise,  and  she  saw  them  fall.  She  assisted  at  the 
birth  of  all  the  modern  governments  of  Europe.  She  civilized 
and  christianized  all  nations.  She  has  been  during  these 
nineteen  hundred  years  the  fostering  mother  of  all  the  arts 
and  sciences,  and  she  comes  before  the  Twentieth  Century, 
the  age  of  liberty  and  enlightenment,  clothed  in  the  panoply 
of  divine  power,  and  commands  it  to  hear  her  and  to  heed 
her.  She  fits  as  well  into  the  Twentieth  Century  as  she  did 
into  the  First.  She  is  still  young  and  beautiful  and  active. 
There  are  no  wrinkles  upon  her  brow,  no  halt  in  her  step, 
no  tremor  in  her  hands.  She  is  as  vigorous  and  ambitious 
today  as  when  she  stepped  out  of  the  upper  room  at  Jeru- 
salem. All  history  has  revolved  around  the  Church  since 
the  coming  of  Christ,  and  all  history  shall  revolve  around 
her  until  the  end  of  time.  The  study  of  the  philosophy  of 
history  teaches  us  one  great  fact,  that  the  world,  for  four 
thousand  years  or  more  was  a  preparation  for  the  coming 
of  Christ's  kingdom,  or  the  Church,  and  that  its  history 
until  the  consummation  of  the  ages  will  be  but  a  develop- 
ment of  that  kingdom,  until  we  all  meet  in  the  perfect  know- 
ledge of  Jesus,  the  Alpha  and  Omega  of  all  things! 


SERMON  ON  BAPTISM. 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — Today's 
Gospel  opens  before  us  two  great  questions,  namely,  the 
Sacrament  of  Baptism  and  the  Doctrine  of  the  Infallibility 
of  the  Church.  We  shall  this  morning  consider  but  one 
of  these  questions,  and  at  another  time  take  up  the  other. 
Baptism  will  be  our  subject.  However,  as  it  is  a  large  one, 
we  shall  have  to  confine  ourselves  to  its  more  important  and 
practical  phases.  I  consider  them  to  be  the  time  of 
its  institution,  the  matter  to  be  used  in  its  administration, 
how  to  confer  it,  and  its  necessity. 

It  is  the  common  teaching  of  the  Church,  which  is  up- 
held by  most  theologians,  that  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism  was 
instituted  when  Christ  was  baptized  in  the  river  Jordan,  but 
that  the  necessity  of  receiving  it  was  not  imposed  until 
after  the  Church  had  been  fully  launched  forth  on  her 
divine  mission.  And  the  great  St.  Thomas  gives  concisely 
the  reasons  for  this  belief.  The  Sacraments  have  been 
instituted,  says  he,  simply  and  solely  to  convey  God's  grace. 
Now  water  only  received  such  power,  when  it  was  sanctified 
by  Christ's  corporal  presence.  Moreover,  the  Sacraments 
of  the  New  Law  could  not  be  binding  until  the  figures  of 
them  in  the  Old  Law  ceased  to  be  binding.  And  this  did 
not  happen  until  after  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ. 
Again,  he  argues,  as  man  by  baptism  is  conformed  to 
Christ's  death  and  resurrection,  it  is  fitting  and  proper  that 
he  should  not  be  so  conformed  until  after  these  events  had 
taken  place. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  why  any  one  should  ques- 
tion that  water  and  water  only  should  be  used  in  the  admin- 
istration of  the  sacrament  I  cannot  understand;  since  it  is 
so  plainly  taught  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  However,  the 
question  has  some  practical  bearing.  We  know  some  of  the 
ancient  heretics  rejected  the  use  of  water  altogether  in 

143 


144  SERMON  ON  BAPTISM 

baptism,  and  some  others  held  that  it  must  be  mixed  with 
oil  to  be  valid.  Certain  fanatics  of  the  middle  ages  called 
Flagelants  taught  that  every  one  must  be  baptized  in  his 
own  blood.-  And  Martin  Luther  and  Beza  believed  and 
taught  that  in  case  of  necessity  any  kind  of  fluid  might  be 
used  in  the  administration  of  baptism. 

That  water  and  water  only  must  be  used  in  baptism 
is  clear  from  the  inspired  writings,  for  Jesus  said  to  Nico- 
demus:  "Amen,  amen,  I  say  to  you  unless  a  man  is  bprn 
again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God,"  (Jno.  Ill,  5).  Thus  too  St.  Paul  tells 
us  that  Christ  delivered  Himself  up  for  the  Church,  "That 
He  might  sanctify  it,  cleansing  it  by  the  laver  of  the  water 
in  the  word  of  life,"  (Ephes.  V,  26).  And  the  eunuch  said 
to  Philip:  "See,  here  is  water,  what  doth  hinder  me  from 
being  baptized?"  (Acts  VIII,  36).  Finally  St.  Peter 
answered  the  faithful  of  the  circumcision  thus: — "Can  any 
one  forbid  water  that  these  should  not  be  baptized  who 
have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we?"  (Acts  X, 
47).  St.  Thomas  in  his  "Summa  Theologica"  gives  us  the 
reasons  why  Christ  selected  water  instead  of  other  sub- 
stances to  be  the  matter  of  this  Sacrament.  Baptism  says 
he,  is  a  spiritual  generation,  and  this  is  best  signified  by 
water,  since  the  basis  of  animal  life  is  of  a  humid  nature. 
Again,  baptism  is  intended  to  wash  away  sin,  temper  Qur 
passions,  and  to  confer  faith.  Now  these  effects  are  signi- 
fied in  an  admirable  manner  by  water.  By  its  humidity 
it  cleanses,  by  its  coolness  it  tempers,  and  by  its  reflective 
quality  it  represents  the  light  of  faith.  Thirdly,  the  partial 
covering  of  the  subject's  head  with  water  and  his  coming 
forth  signify  the  mysteries  of  the  Death  and  Resurrection 
of  Christ.  And  lastly,  says  St.  Thomas,  since  baptism  is 
necessary  to  salvation  it  must  be  within  easy  reach  of  all. 
And  water  makes  this  possible,  as  it  is  found  everywhere. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  we  now  come  to  a  very 
important  consideration,  on  account  of  the  position  of  some 
of  the  Protestant  sects  upon  the  subject,  namely,  how  must 
baptism  be  administered?  Is  any  one  of  the  three  ways 
employed  by  Christians  in  administering  the  Sacrament 
valid?  Yes,  the  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  immersion, 


SERMON  ON  BAPTISM  145 

sprinkling  or  pouring  on,  is  valid,  if  the  proper  words  be 
used.  And  these  are  her  reasons:  First,  the  word  used 
by  our  Divine  Lord  when  He  made  the  Sacrament  obliga- 
tory— the  Greek  word  "Baptize" — has  any  one  of  the  three 
meanings.  It  is  true  that  the  Greek  Lexicon  gives  as  the 
literal  meaning  of  the  words,  "Baptizo"  "to  dip  under",  "to 
bathe",  but  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  the  words  signify  not 
only  to  immerse,  but  to  sprinkle  and  also  to  pour  on.  By 
common  usage  to  which  Christ  accommodated  Himself,  it 
meant  any  kind  of  washing.  And  among  classical  writers 
it  had  a  manifold  signification.  Sometimes  it  meant  to  im- 
merse, or  to  cover  with  water;  and  at  other  times  it  meant 
to  moisten,  or  to  pour  upon;  and  then  again  it  was  used 
by  them  to  signify  any  overcoming  or  overpowering  by 
water. 

Although  immersion  was  the  ordinary  way  employed 
by  the  Church  for  twelve  hundred  years,  yet  sprinkling 
and  pouring  on  were  also  used  by  the  Church  in  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism.  It  is  almost  beyond 
a  doubt  that  the  three  thousand  who  were  baptized  after 
the  first  preaching  of  Peter,  and  the  five  thousand  011  the 
next  day  were  sprinkled.  Would  it  not  have  been  impos- 
sible to  immerse  so  many  in  one  day?  Besides,  Mr.  Robin- 
son in  his  "Biblical  Researches,"  (Vol.  I,  pp.  479-516),  says: 
"There  is  in  Mimmer  no  running  spring  in  the  vicinity  of 
Jerusalem,  except  the  mere  rill  of  Siloe,  a  few  rods  in 
length;  and  the  city  is  and  was  supplied  with  water  from 
its  cistern  and  public  reservoirs.  From  neither  of  these 
sources  could  a  supply  have  been  well  obtained  for  the 
immersion  of  eight  thousand  persons."  Is  it  not  too  quite 
improbable  that  St.  Paul  found  a  pool  in  the  prison  in 
which  he  immersed  the  jailor  and  his  family?  The  neces- 
sity of  Baptism  was  taught  from  the  time  of  the  Apostles,, 
and  therefore  both  the  sick  and  dying  had  to  be  baptized. 
Is  it  not  an  act  of  desperation  to  say  that  such  were  obliged 
to  be  immersed !  St.  Cyprian  of  the  III  Century  has  writ- 
ten something  anent  the  subject  which  throws  light  upon 
the  question.  He  says,  "That  the  divine  benefits  are  not 
injured  or  diminished  by  pouring  on  or  sprinkling,  nor 
ought  any  one  become  perturbed  because  the  sick  were  bap- 


1.40  SERMON  ON  BAPTISM 

tized  by  sprinkling  or  pouring  on."  And  Wilfridius  of  the 
IX  Century  writes,  "That  many  have  been  baptized  and 
many  are  still  being  baptized  by  pouring  on."  Thus  were 
St.  Romanus  and  St.  Symphronius  baptized  while  in  prison 
by  St.  Lawrence  and  St.  Benigius.  Finally,  monuments 
are  found  in  the  catacombs  testifying  to  the  fact  that  Bap- 
tism by  pouring  on  was  practiced  by  the  infant  Church. 
And  we  have  pictures  coming  down  from  the  first  ages  in 
which  St.  John  is  represented  pouring  water  on  the  head 
of  Christ  \rith  a  shell,  as  they  both  stood  in  the  River 
Jordan.  Reason  itself  teaches  that  any  one  of  the  three 
ways  is  valid;  first,  because  the  interior  effect  on  the  soul 
can  be  signified  by  any  one  of  the  three  ways;  secondly, 
because  a  sufficient x  quantity  necessary  for  immersion  in 
case  of  necessity  is  not  always  at  hand;  thirdly,  immersion 
oftentimes  would  expose  both  minister  and  subject  to 
sickness;  and  fourthly,  the  Death  and  Resurrection  of 
Christ  can  be  signified  by  sprinkling  or  pouring  on,  since 
the  head,  the  vital  part  of  man  is  partly  covered  by  water. 
On  account  of  the  foregoing  reasons,  the  Catholic  Church, 
which  has  existed  from  the  beginning,  and  is  the  represen- 
tative of  Christ  on  earth  established  by  Him,  to  teach  until 
the  end  of  time  the  truths  of  revelation,  tells  us  that  any 
one  of  the  three  ways  is  valid.  Moreover,  the  Catholic 
Church  for  greater  convenience  and  for  sanitary  and  moral 
reasons  changed  the  extraordinary  way  into  the  ordinary, 
or  made  the  exceptional  way  the  common  one;  and  for  the 
sake  of  uniformity,  commands  her  ministers  all  over  the 
world  to  administer  the  Sacrament  by  pouring  on  only  or 
by  effusion. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  the  important  consideration 
is  not  the  manner,  but  the  words  to  be  pronounced  in  its  ad- 
ministration, and  its  absolute  necessity  for  salvation.  Hence 
we  shall  now  turn  our  attention  to  these  points.  "I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  or  "Let  the  servant  of  Christ  be  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
are  both  valid  forms.  The  first  is  used  by  the  Latin  Church 
and  the  second  by  the  Greek.  Both  are  valid,  because  in 


SERMON  ON  BAPTISM  147 

both  there  is  a  distinct  invocation  of  the  three  names  of 
the  Trinity  and  the  effect  on  the  subject  is  expressed. 

With  regard  to  the  invocation  Christ  expressly  com- 
manded it  when  He  said:  "Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  Ter- 
tullian  says  that  Christ  prescribed  the  form  when  He  said: 
"Go  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  And  St 
Cyprian  remarks,  "That  after  the  Resurrection  the  Apostles 
were  sent  by  the  Lord  to  the  nations  to  baptize  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost."  The  Catholic  Church  has  always  considered  the 
Sacrament  invalid  if  the  distinct  invocations  were  not 
made.  In  regard  to  the  second  part,  that  the  effect  on 
the  subject  must  be  expressed  by  words,  the  Church  founds 
it  upon  those  Words  of  Christ.  "Baptizing  them"  which  He 
commanded  His  ministers  to  use.  And  St.  Thomas  gives 
us  the  underlying  reason.  "The  ablution  of  a  man,"  says 
he,  "may  be  done  on  account  of  several  ends.  It  is  proper 
then  that  the  special  end  is  expressed  by  the  words.  But 
this  would  not  be  done  by  simply  using  the  words  in  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost; 
as  everything  which  a  Christian  does  ought  to  be  done  in 
the  name  of  the  Adorable  Trinity." 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  we  have  now  reached  the  last 
consideration ;  namely,  can  any  one  enter  into  the  Kingdom 
of  Heaven  without  Baptism?  The  teaching  of  Christ  upon 
this  point  seems  to  be  very  clear,  for  we  read  in  the  third 
chapter  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St.  John,  that  when 
tficodemus  of  the  sect  of  the  Pharisees  and  a  ruler  of 
the  Jews  came  to  Christ  and  said:  "Rabbi,  we  know  that 
Thou  art  a  teacher  from  God,  for  no  man  can  do  these 
signs  which  Thou  dost  unless  God  be  with  Him,"  Jesus 
answered  and  said  to  him:  "Amen,  amen,  I  say  to  thee, 
unless  a  man  be  born  again  of  water  and  the  Holy  Ghost, 
he  cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  born  of  the 
spirit  is  spirit."  The  word  used  by  St.  John  for  man  was 
the  Greek  word  "Tis",  which  means  any  human  being  what- 
ever. Christ  then  makes  no  exception.  He  says  every 


148  SERMON  ON  BAPTISM 

human  being,  no  matter  who  he  may  be,  if  he  wants  to 
enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God  must  be  born  again  of  water 
and  the  Holy  Ghost.  However,  the  Church  teaches  that  the 
desire  of  baptism  when  its  administration  is  impossible 
cleanses  the  soul  from  sin ;  and  also  that  he  who  sheds  his 
blood  for  the  faith,  although  not  baptized,  becomes  a  child 
of  God,  and  an  heir  to  His  Kingdom. 

The  necessity  of  baptism  is  confirmed  by  the  command 
which  Christ  gave  to  the  Apostles:  "Going  forth  into  the 
whole  world,  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;" 
and  also  from  the  action  of  the  Apostles  themselves,  who 
as  we  learn  from  the  Evangelists  did  go  forth  and  baptize 
the  nations.  But  let  us  see  how  the  early  Church  looked 
upon  the  matter;  for  surely  they  knew  the  teaching  of 
Christ  and  the  Apostles.  Hermas  of  the  I  Century  thus 
writes :  "Before  a  man  receives  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God 
he  is  destined  unto  death — but  when  he  receives  that  seal, 
he  is  liberated  from  death  and  delivered  unto  life.  Now 
that  seal  is  the  water  into  which  men  go  down,  bound  unto 
death,  but  come  up  assigned  unto  life;"  Origen  of  the  III 
Century  wrote:  "To  this  also  may  be  added  the  inquiry, 
whence  is  it  that  since  the  baptism  of  the  Church  is  given 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  baptism  is  according  to  the  ob- 
servance of  the  Church  given  even  to  little  children?  Since 
assuredly  if  there  were  nothing  in  little  children  which 
must  relate  ta  remission  and  pardon,  the  grace  of  baptism 
would  seem  to  be  superfluous;"  and  St.  Augustine  of  the 
V  Century  thus  wrote:  "From  the  child  just  born  even  to 
the  decrepit  old  man,  as  none  is  to  be  prohibited  from 
baptism,  so  none  there  is  who  does  not  die  to  sin  in  bap- 
tism; but  infants  to  original  sin  only,  but  \older  persons 
die  also  to  all  those  sins  whatsoever  which  by  living  ill 
they  have  added  to  that  which  they  have  derived  from 
their  birth."  In  answer  to  the  skeptic  and  infidel  who  scoff 
at  the  idea  that  baptism  is  necessary  to  salvation,  especially 
in  the  case  of  infants  and  little  children,  we  say  to  them 
that  eternal  life,  or  the  possession  of  God  in  Heaven,  seen 
face  to  face,  is  a  gift  above  the  nature  of  man,  that  it  is 
something  not  owed  to  man,  something  which  his  nature 


SERMON  ON  BAPTISM  149 

does  not  demand;  consequently  without  the  least  injustice 
to  man,  God  can  lay  down  any  conditions  whatsoever  for 
the  obtaining  of  it;  and  we  have  seen  that  He  has  made 
baptism  such  a  condition.  Moreover  as  regards  the  state 
of  infants  who  die  without  baptism,  it  is  certain  that  they 
will  not  suffer  in  the  next  life,  and  it  is  the  common  teach- 
ing of  Catholic  theologians  that  although  deprived  of  the 
Beatific  Vision  they  will  enjoy  natural  happiness.  And 
furthermore,  Thomas  Aquinas,  the  prince  of  Catholic 
theologians  and  philosophers,  teaches  that  as  God  wills  the 
salvation  of  every  man,  the  barbarian  in  the  heart  of  Africa 
will  be  given  a  chance,  and  if  he  follows  the  lights  of 
nature  and  the  law  written  on  his  heart,  if  necessary  for 
his  salvation,  God  will  send  an  angel  from  Heaven  to  bap- 
tize him. 

My  Brethren,  in  conclusion,  let  us  honor  and  venerate 
this  great  Sacrament,  because  we  see  in  it  the  power,  mercy 
and  goodness  of  God.  We  see  His  power,  because  He  has 
made  water  and  the  word  the  channel  of  His  grace,  and 
given  them  the  virtue  of  sanctifying  us.  We  see  His  mercy, 
because  of  the  universality  of  water,  and  in  case  of  necessity 
any  one  may  baptize,  puts  baptism  within  the  reach  of 
every  one.  And  we  see  His  goodness,  because  by  water 
and  the  word  we  are  cleansed  from  sin,  raised  to  spiritual 
life  and  made  God's  children  and  heirs  to  His  Kingdom. 


SERMON  ON  OUR  LAST  END. 

PREACHED  DURING  LENT,  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNT- 
INGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — During  this  Season  of  Lent 
I  know  of  no  truth  on  which  we  can  meditate  with  more 
direct  and  immediate  profit  to  our  souls  than  on  the  last 
four  things  to  be  remembered;  namely,  on  death,  judgment, 
heaven  and  hell.  But  the  series,  to  be  rounded  out,  perfect 
and  effective,  needs  to  be  prefaced  by  a  sermon  on  our  last 
end,  and  concluded  with  a  sermon  on  the  Passion  of  Christ. 
O  God  give  us  strength !  O  Holy  Ghost  enlighten  our  minds ! 

My  Brethren : — Our  last  end  is  a  truth  which  the  pleas- 
ures and  cares  and  distractions  of  life  are  continually 
thrusting  aside  and  placing  in  the  background.  In  the 
struggle  for  an  earthly  existence  we  forget  to  labor  for 
the  meat  that  perisheth  not.  In  being  occupied  with  the 
petty  things  of  time,  we  forget  the  great  affairs  of  eternity. 
We  become  so  engrossed  with  material,  temporal  things, 
as  to  forget  the  spiritual  and  heavenly  things.  We  live  as 
if  we  had  no  soul.  We  live  as  if  this  life  were  to  end  all. 
Oh !  we  forget  that  we  are  only  pilgrims,  who  have  pitched 
our  tents  but  for  the  night;  we  forget  that  we  are  here  on 
trial  and  probation ;  we  forget  that  this  present  life  and  its 
goods,  are  but  means  to  an  end. 

My  Brethren: — The  supernatural  life,  the  life  of  grace 
here  and  which  is  to  terminate  in  the  possession  of  God 
hereafter,  is  not  owed  to  man.  It  is  a  free,  gratuitous  gift 
bestowed  through  the  infinite  goodness  of  God.  The  super- 
natural life  is  not  owed  to  man  as  man.  His  nature  does 
not  demand  nor  require  it.  If  God  created  man,  put  him 
on  this  earth  and  allowed  him  to  live  so  long  as  to  perfect 
his  nature,  perfect  his  body  and  soul ; — his  body  by  natural 
growth  through  material  means,  and  his  soul  by  spiritual 
growth  through  intellectual  means, — goodness  and  truth, 
which  would  develop  all  the  faculties  of  the  soul; — no  injus- 

150 


SERMON  ON  OUR  LAST  END  151 

tice  would  he  done  man;  because  his  nature  demands  no 
more.  But,  my  brethren,  although  this  natural  life  is  a  great 
gift,  a  great  favor  and  privilege,  since  there  are  millions  of 
possible  beings  whom  God  could  have  called  into  existence 
instead  of  us — although  to  be  created  is  a  gift  beyond  price 
and  measure,  still  God  in  His  infinite  generosity  has  not  stop- 
ped here.  He  has  gone  further  in  the  manifestation  of  His 
goodness.  He  has  outdone  Himself  so  to  speak,  in  generosity. 
Not  satisfied  with  bestowing  upon  us  a  natural  existence. 
He  has  raised  us  to  a  state  almost  infinitely  superior.  He 
has  endowed  us  with  supernatural  life.  He  has  infused 
into  us  His  own  life  by  grace,  and  if  we  are  faithful,  it  will 
culminate  and  terminate  in  the  Beatific  Vision — a  godlike 
life  above  the  capacity  of  man. 

My  Brethren: — Before  the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  life 
on  this  earth  was  quite  different.  There  was  no  sickness 
nor  death,  no  troubles,  crosses,  nor  trials.  Man  was  created 
in  knowledge;  his  faculties  were  developed  and  perfect;  his 
will  was  strong.  The  earth  yielded  up  its  fruits  and  treas- 
ures without  cultivation  and  labor.  Everything  obeyed 
man.  In  him  there  was  no  inclination  to  evil ;  no  rebellion 
of  the  flesh.  His  will  and  reason  were  in  conformity  with 
the  divine  Will  and  Reason.  There  was  no  conflict;  all 
was  peace  and  harmony.  He  was  to  pass  from  this  earth 
to  heaven.  This  period  and  state  were  but  brief  and  fleeting. 

But  the  fall  changed  this  state  of  things, — changed  so 
to  speak,  the  plans  of  God.  Man  became  subject  to  sickness 
and  death.  He  was  to  earn  his  bread  in  the  sweat  of  his 
brow.  He  was  to  bring  forth  children  in  pain  and  sorrow. 
He  lost  his  wonderful  knowledge.  His  will  became  weak 
and  perverse.  Concupiscence  seized  him.  His  flesh  was  in 
rebellion.  Heaven  was  to  be  his,  only  after  a  trial  and 
probation.  The  warfare  was  to  begin  at  the  dawn  of  reason 
and  end  at  the  grave.  This  earth  was  to  be  the  battle 
ground;  we  on  one  side  and  the  devil,  the  world  and 
the  flesh  on  the  other,  as  the  combatants. 

My  Brethren  : — The  salvation  of  our  immortal  souls  is 
the  work  of  our  lives.  We  are  not  here  for  any  other  pur- 
pose: "Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  His  justice 
and  all  things  else  shall  be  added  unto.'-  We  are  not  here 


152  SERMON  ON  OUR  LAST  END 

to  become  skilled  mechanics  or  successful  business  men,  to 
amass  wealth  or  to  acquire  honors,  to  become  artists,  states- 
men or  warriors.  No;  these  ambitions  are  good  and  laud- 
able as  long  as  they  remain  the  secondary  aim  of  our  life; 
as  long  as  they  are  kept  subordinate  and  made  to  subserve 
our  final  ultimate  end.  Oh!  it  is  this  usurpation  that  ia 
one  of  the  great  moral  errors  of  the  day!  Men  who  call 
themselves  Christians,  place  mammon  above  God.  When  a 
sacrifice  is  to  be  made,  God  and  the  soul  are  made  to  retreat 
under  plea  of  a  livelihood.  These  men  forget  God's  words : 
"Consider  the  lilies  how  they  grow;  they  labor  not,  neither 
do  they  spin.  But  I  say  to  you  not  even  Solomon  in  all 
his  glory  was  clothed  like  one  of  these;  Now  if  God  clothe 
in  this  manner  the  grass  that  is  today  in  the  field  and 
tomorrow  is  cast  into  the  oven;  how  much  more  you,  O  ye 
of  little  faith." 

We  have  been  endowed  with  an  understanding  by  which 
we  may  know  the  truth,  and  a  free  will  by  which  we  can 
choose  and  act.  God  and  creatures,  eternity  and  time,  ever- 
lasting life  and  everlasting  death  have  been  placed  before  us. 
With  God's  help  we  can  elect  and  carry  off  the  prize.  With 
some  the  time  will  be  short — very  short — with  others 
long.  But  with  all  it  will  be  severe  and  momentous.  The 
salvation  of  our  souls  is  a  great  and  important  work.  Fool- 
ish and  unwise  is  he  who  looks  on  it  with  indifference.  It 
will  be  too  late,  on  the  eve  of  eternity.  The  salvation  of  our 
souls  is  a  work  of  every  moment  of  our  existence.  No  one 
can  fold  his  arms  and  rest  secure  as  long  as  the  breath  of  life 
is  in  him.  St.  Paul  knew  not  whether  he  was  worthy  of 
hatred  or  love,  although  he  had  been  taken  up  to  heaven 
during  his  mortal  life  and  there  beheld  things  not  given 
to  men  to  utter.  Only  he  that  perseveres  to  the  end  is 
secure  and  will  be  crowned. 

My  Brethren: — We  must  be  up  and  doing.  We  must 
be  contending,  fighting  and  struggling.  Our  adversaries  give 
us  no  quarter.  They  go  around  like  roaring  lions,  seeking 
whom  they  may  devour.  Our  fight  with  them  is  war  to 
death.  We  must  conquer,  or  we  shall  be  conquered.  Baffled 
and  defeated  they  come  back  again  to  renew  the  conflict. 


SERMON  ON  OUR  LAST  END  153 

We  are  attacked  on  all  sides;  snares  are  laid  for  us  every- 
where. Fighting  and  overcoming,  falling  and  rising  is  the 
life  of  a  Christian  here. 

Of  ourselves,  we  can  do  nothing;  but  with  the  grace 
of  God  we  can  do  all  things  as  St.  Paul  says.  Foolish  and 
unwise  is  that  one  who  leans  upon  himself  trusting  to  his 
own  powers.  He  is  leaning  upon  a  broken  reed,  which  the 
storm  will  shake  and  topple  dowft.  He  has  builded  his 
house  upon  the  sand,  and  when  the  flood  of  temptation 
comes  it  must  surely  fall. 

God  knows  our  weaknesses  and  He  knows  the  strength 
of  our  enemies.  Hence  he  has  ordained  help  for  us.  "My 
grace,"  says  He,  "is  sufficient."  No  one  is  tempted  above 
his  power.  With  every  temptation  God  makes  an  issue  to 
arise  by  which  we  are  able  to  overcome  it.  He  has  ordained 
that  we  receive  the  principal  graces  or  helps  through  the 
sacramental  system.  If  we  wish  to  stand  and  persevere, 
we  must  accept  the  offer.  The  more  frequently  we  approach 
the  sacraments  worthily,  the  stronger  we  shall  become  and 
the  less  powerful  will  become  the  enemies  of  our  souls.  It  is 
because  Catholics  neglect  these  great  means,  or  prepare 
themselves  carelessly,  or  approach  them  half-heartedly,  with 
little  devotion  and  fervor  that  they  become  an  easy  prey 
to  the  devil. 

My  Brethren: — All  creatures  in  this  world  should  be 
used  as  stepping  stones  to  heaven.  "WL  ether  you  eat  or 
drink,  or  whatsoever  you  do,  do  all  things  for  the  glory  of 
God"  says  St.  Paul.  If  creatures  are  used  otherwise,  we 
change  the  plan  of  God.  We  invert  the  order  of  His  grace 
and  must  reap  the  penalty.  Such  a  one  may  be  compared 
to  a  painter  who  is  so  taken  up  with  his  brush  and  paint 
as  to  forget  to  make  the  picture.  The  man  who  passes 
through  life  and  becomes  so  engrossed  with  it  as  to  forget 
his  last  end,  is  like  a  tourist  who  is  so  taken  up  with  the 
intervening  country  as  to  forget  the  end  of  his  journey— 
his  destination. 

As  we  would  look  upon  the  painter  and  the  tourist  as 
fools,  so  must  we  consider  the  worldlings;  we  can  judge 
them  in  no  other  light — unwise — unphilosophical.  How 
wrong  are  the  standards  of  the  world !  The  world  considers 


154  SERMON  ON  OUR  LAST  END 

that  one  a  successful  man  who  has  become  rich,  or  has  risen 
to  some  place  of  distinction,  though  his  soul  be  as  black 
as  Erebus.  God  considers  him  a  success  who  has 
brought  out  the  life  of  Christ  in  himself,  overcome  sin  and 
practiced  virtue,  though  he  be  as  poor  as  Job,  or  as  un- 
known as  the  red  man,  who  roamed  our  forests  hundred  of 
years  ago.  We  can  take  nothing  to  the  grave  except  good 
works.  We  were  born  equal  and  we  shall  die  equal.  The 
rich  and  the  distinguished  shall  likewise  become  the  food  of 
worms — shall  return  to  dust,  shall  mingle  with  mother  earth. 

That  one  is  truly  happy  in  this  life  who  labors  for  the 
hereafter,  making  the  salvation  of  his  soul  his  principal 
work.  Crosses  and  trials  and  disappointments  must  come 
to  all.  There  is  no  one  exempted  from  them.  If  it  is  not 
one  cross  it  is  another.  At  times,  without  religion,  they 
become  unbearable.  Sir  George  Mallock,  an  English  philo- 
sopher, after  weighing  the  pleasures  and  sorrows  of  an 
ordinary  life,  proved  that  without  a  hereafter,  the  present 
life  was  not  worth  living.  Oh !  it  is  this  fact  that  causes 
so  many  suicides.  It  is  not  insanity.  It  is  trials  and 
crosses  without  religion  to  help  to  bear  them.  On  which  side 
are  we?  I  hope  not  on  the  side  of  the  foolish  and  unwise. 
Life  will  soon  be  over.  Time  is  fleeting.  We  are  old  be- 
fore we  realize  it.  The  young  may  die,  the  middle  aged  do 
die,  but  the  old  must  die.  Old  age  is  an  incurable  disease. 

Keep  your  eye  on  eternity  as  the  mariner  does  on  the 
northern  star!  Let  it  guide  and  direct  your  path  in  all 
things!  When  duties  become  irksome,  raise  your  eyes  to 
heaven !  When  temptations  become  strong,  cast  your  eyes 
down  to  hell!  We  are  here  to  work  out  the  salvation  of 
our  souls!  Eternal  bliss  is  the  prize!  Eternal  misery  is 
the  forfeit! 


SERMON  ON  DEATH. 

PREACHED     DURING     LENT     AT     ST.     JOSEPH'S     CHURCH, 

HUNTINGTON,    W.    VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — "In  what  day  soever  thou  shall 
eat  of  it,  thou  shalt  die  the  death;"  "In  the  sweat  of  thy 
face  shalt  thou  eat  bread  till  thou  return  to  the  earth  out 
of  which  thou  wast  taken;  for  dust  thou  art  and  unto  dust 
thou  shalt  return;"  "It  is  appointed  for  all  men  once  to 
die  and  after  this  the  judgment;"  As  by  one  man  sin  en- 
tered into  this  world  and  by  sin  death;  and  so  death 
passed  upon  all  men  in  whom  all  have  sinned." 

The  first  two  of  these  texts  are  taken  from  the  Old 
Testament,  the  last  two  from  the  New  Testament;  and 
from  them  we  learn  that  death  is  certain,  and  is  the  punish- 
ment of  sin.  As  I  said  on  last  Sunday,  if  Adam  had  not 
sinned,  he  and  we — all  men — would  have  passed  from  earth 
to  Heaven  without  having  tasted  of  death.  Death  is  then 
the  punishment  of  sin.  And  as  we  all  have  sinned  in  Adam, 
so  must  we  all  die. 

My  Brethren,  no  one  of  sound  mind,  doubts  the  cer- 
tainty of  death.  Experience  brings  the  truth  home  to  our 
minds  constantly.  Thousands  are  dying  every  day.  Every- 
thing around  us  cries  out  that  we  too  must  die.  The  birds 
and  the  animals,  the  plants  and  the  flowers  are  born  today 
and  bloom,  are  full  of  life  and  beauty,  tomorrow  they 
grow  sick,  fade  and  die.  Death  is  certain.  We  all  believe 
it, — infidels  as  well  as  Christians.  The  rich  and  the  poor, 
the  powerful  and  the  weak,  the  scholar  and  the  rustic,  the 
nobleman  and  the  plebeian — all  must  die — all  are  children 
of  Adam. 

But  the  time  of  death?  There's  the  question!  No  one 
knows  except  God.  It  shall  come  suddenly.  Death  is  always 
sudden,  even  to  those  lying  for  months  on  a  bed  of  sick- 
ness. In  the  midst  of  life,  there  is  death.  We  lie  down 
to  sleep  in  health,  we  are  found  dead  in  the  morning.  We 

155 


156  SERMON  ON  DEATH 

start  out  in  the  morning  full  of  hope  and  life,  and  we 
are  carried  home  a  corpse.  Death  seeks  out  its  victims 
everywhere,  among  all  classes  and  at  all  times.  No  place 
is  too  sacred,  no  man  too  important,  no  time  too  precious. 
God's  priest  is  struck  down  in  his  own  temple  at  the  foot 
of  the  altar,  in  the  confessional,  or  whilst  attending  the 
dying.  The  lawyer  is  struck  down  while  pleading,  the  phy- 
sician hastening  to  a  sick  bed,  the  business  man  selling  his 
wares  and  the  mechanic  with  uplifted  tool.  Death  strikes 
down  its  victims  at  all  hours;  at  the  break  of  day,  at  the 
noonday  splendor,  at  the  setting  of  the  sun,  at  mid-night  and 
in  the  silent,  still  hours  of  the  morning.  It  goes  into  the 
gilded  palace,  the  plain  dwelling  and  the  humble  cot.  It  vis- 
its the  nestling  babe,  the  young  in  the  flush  and  hope  and 
beauty  of  youth,  the  middle  aged  in  the  midst  of  the  cares 
and  the  seriousness  of  life,  and  the  old,  broken  down  in 
health  and  hopes,  feeble  and  tottering.  Yes,  my  brethren, 
the  time  of  death  is  very  uncertain.  Those  who  expect  to 
live  longest  often  die  first.  No  one  knows,  when  he  awakes 
whether  he  will  see  the  sun  set.  No  one  knows,  when  he 
retires  at  night  whether  he  will  see  the  sun  rise.  God,  in 
His  infinite  wisdom  has  concealed  the  time  from  us.  But 
He  warns  us  to  be  always  ready,  to  have  our  lamps  burning, 
for  He  shall  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  suddenly,  and 
when  least  expected! 

How  much  physical  pain  the  dying  suffer,  we  cannot 
say  with  certainty.  But  before  they  lose  consciousness  we 
know  that  it  is  not  by  any  means  slight  or  trifling.  Most 
men  experience  a  sense  of  abandonment,  apprehension  and 
suffocation.  They  feel  that  they  are  parting  with  all  things 
which  they  prized  and  loved, — money,  honors,  friends  and 
relatives — are  drawing  away  from  them  gradually  but 
surely!  They  are  filled  with  apprehension.  When  the 
soul  is  about  to  leave  the  body,  what  a  state  of  commotion 
and  revolution  within  the  kingdom  of  man !  Some  great 
catastrophe  they  know  is  about  to  overtake  them.  They 
are  like  a  man  standing  on  the  brink  of  a  rocky  precipice, 
or  on  the  edge  of  a  fierce  volcano,  about  to  be  hurled  over 
and  downwards! 


SERMON  ON  DEATH  157 

What  a  feeling  of  suffocation !  When  the  heart  doubles 
its  number  of  beats  and  the  respiration  grows  faster  and 
shorter;  oh!  what  a  sense  of  smothering  and  suffocation 
comes  over  the  dying !  Only  they  can  truly  tell  the  physical 
pain  endured!  Before  they  lapse  into  unconsciousness  they 
begin  to  lose  the  sense  of  speech,  sight,  hearing  and  touch. 
They  are  conscious  of  it  too.  Weaker  and  weaker  the  voice 
becomes.  At  first  they  could  be  heard  by  those  around  the 
bed;  now  it  is  only  by  putting  our  ears  close  to  their 
whispering  breath ;  finally  their  whispers  are  inaudible  and 
speech  is  gone.  The  sense  of  sight  begins  to  leave  them.  A 
mist  comes  before  their  eyes.  Those  around  them  look  like 
fleeting  shadows.  The  objects  in  the  room  grow  dim. 
Darkness  reigns  supreme.  Speech  and  sight  are  gone.  Next 
it  is  the  hearing.  The  voices  are  growing  less  and  less  dis- 
tinct, until  finally  they  cease  to  be  heard.  They  have  still 
the  sense  of  touch,  but  it  too  must  leave  them.  Their 
fingers  become  numb.  They  are  incapable  of  distinguishing 
different  objects.  They  cease  to  feel  at  all.  Death  has  a 
hand-to-hand  grip  upon  them.  All  is  solitude,  loneliness 
and  helplessness! 

My  Brethren: — The  mental  pain  and  anguish  of  most 
Christians  far  surpass  their  bodily  suffering.  We  cannot 
meet  death  like  the  pagans  who  believed  it  ended  all.  We 
cannot  meet  death  like  the  great  saints,  whose  whole  lives 
were  a  preparation  for  it.  We  cannot  meet  it  with  a  "Te 
Deum"  like  St.  Aloysius  or  the  Blessed  John  Fisher.  Our 
past  life,  our  sins,  the  uncertainty  of  our  repentance,  the 
dangers  of  the  last  moments,  the  terrible  interests  at  stake 
— these  are  things  which  fill  us  with  regrets  and  remorse, 
with  anxiety  and  fears. 

Time  is  ending,  eternity  is  beginning.  The  moment 
has  come  when  we  must  meet  our  Judge.  There  were  many 
times  during  our  life  when  we  thought  upon  it;  and  it 
terrified  us.  But  we  soon  rid  ourselves  of  it.  We  said  it 
is  a  long  way  off.  It  is  different  now.  We  are  meeting  the 
stern  reality.  We  are  caught.  There  is  no  escape.  We 
must  face  death  within  the  next  few  hours. 

I  am  unprepared.  The  time  is  short.  Besides  I  am  in 
no  fit  condition  for  this  all  important  momentous  work. 


158  SERMON  ON  DEATH 

i 

My  nerves  and  brain  are  worn  out.  The  stupor  of  death 
is  coming  upon  me  and  will  soon  wrap  me  in  quiet  forget- 
fulness.  Why  did  I  not  prepare  myself  when  I  had  ample 
time,  and  in  health?  I  had  time  for  everything  else, — bus- 
iness, pleasures,  fortune  and  reputation.  I  prepared  myself 
for  this  mortal  life — for  this  brief,  fleeting,  unsubstantial 
life.  I  neglected  the  immortal  life — the  everlasting,  eternal, 
true  life.  It  is  true  at  times,  when  God's  grace  visited  me 
I  thought  of  death.  I  began  to  get  ready  for  it.  I  repented 
of  my  sins.  I  took  firm  resolutions  to  serve  God  with  my 
whole  heart  and  soul;  but  my  resolutions  were  short-lived. 
The  world  was  near  and  imposing,  and  I  was  swept  along 
downwards  in  the  mad  current, — I  see  my  folly  now, — I 
must  give  up  this  world,  I  must  meet  my  Judge, — Heaven 
or  Hell! — Why  did  I  not  persevere?  Why  was  I  not  faith- 
ful to  my  morning  and  evening  prayers?  Faithful  in  my 
devout  attendance  at  the  most  holy,  august  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass?  Faithful  in  my  frequent  confessions  and  worthy 
Communions?  Why  did  I  become  tepid,  falling  back  into 
my  evil  ways?  Neglectful  of  holy  things,  scornful  of  pious 
customs,  indifferent  to  the  supernatural,  allowing  the  lusts 
of  the  flesh  to  conquer  me,  cherishing  hate,  refusing  a  ready 
obedience  to  the  Church,  the  Spouse  and  the  Representative 
of  Christ  on  earth  ? 

Are  my  sins  forgiven?  Are  there  some  dark  spots  upon 
my  soul?  Have  I  some  sins  to  repent  of?  Have  I  repaired 
all  the  scandal  which  I  gave,  and  the  injustices  which 
1  committed?  Shall  I  be  saved?  Shall  I  be  lost?  Oh! 
these  are  the  regrets,  the  anxieties  and  the  fears  which  will 
chase  each  other  through  our  troubled  brain  when  we  are 
standing  on  the  portals  of  the  grave! 

My  Brethren : — Let  us  begin  this  night,  this  moment  to 
change  our  lives.  We  have  been  foolish  and  unwise  in 
living  for  that  which  passeth  away,  for  that  which  cannot 
help  us  on  our  death-bed.  Let  us  begin  tonight,  this  moment, 
to  live  a  life  of  prayer,  of  sacrifice,  a  life  of  watchfulness 
over  our  passions,  a  life  of  obedience,  humility  and  innocence, 
a  life  of  complete  and  total  surrender  of  our  being  to  God. 


SERMON  ON  DEATH  159 

Death  then  shall  have  no  terrors  for  us.  We  shall  look 
upon  its  bright  side  only,  and  welcome  it.  We  shall  meet 
it  with  a  "Te  Deum"  for  the  time  of  trial  and  probation  is 
over ; — and  we  have  fought  the  good  fight  and  kept  the  faith 
and  there  is  laid  up  for  us  a  crown  of  glory  which  a  just 
God  will  render  unto  us.  We  have  put  off  mortality  to  put 
on  immortality!  Eternal  bliss  has  begun! 


SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  FRANCIS'  CHURCH,  MOUNDSVILLE,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — During 
the  "Forty  Hours  Adoration",  if  preach  we  must,  there  are 
two  articles  of  "faith",  in  my  mind  that  should  form  the 
subject  of  our  sermons,  namely  the  Blessed  Eucharist  and 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  "The  Forty  Hours"  are  in- 
tended by  the  Church  to  honor  in  the  most  solemn  manner 
Jesus  Christ  dwelling  on  our  altars  under  the  Eucharistic 
species,  to  make  reparation  for  the  coldness,  negligence  and 
indifference  of  Catholics  toward  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Sacra- 
ment of  His  love,  and  to  atone  for  the  insults  and  outrages 
offered  by  unbelievers  to  Jesus  Christ  in  this  great  mystery. 
We  do  this  in  the  most  perfect  manner,  by  receiving  with 
faith  and  love  and  devotion,  Jesus  Christ  in  Holy  Com- 
munion. A  sincere  confession  is  one  of  the  best  prepara- 
tions for  a  worthy  communion.  And  the  Church,  the  kind 
and  ever  solicitous  mother  she  is,  to  encourage  us,  yea,  to 
urge  us  to  this,  out  of  her  spiritual  treasury,  has  granted  a 
Plenary  Indulgence  to  all  those  who  during  the  "Forty 
Hours"  will  have  confessed  contritely,  made  a  visit  to  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  prayed  for  the  intention  of  the  Holy 
Father  and  received  Holy  Communion.  Last  night  you 
listened  to  an  instructive  and  beautiful  discourse  on  the 
Blessed  Eucharist,  the  greav^.t  sacrament  in  the  Church, 
by  the  pious  and  gifted  Father  Hall;  tonight  it  will  be  my 
pleasure  to  speak  to  you  on  that  other  great  sacrament  in 
the  Church,  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

My  Brethren : — Under  the  old  law  which  was  given  by 
the  Almighty  to  the  Jewish  people  through  Moses,  the 
Patriarchs  and  the  Prophets,  no  man  was  considered  cured 
of  the  leprosy  until  the  priests  had  first  passed  judgment  on 
him  and  declared  him  clean.  Now  we  know  everything  was 
done  then  in  figure.  Leprosy  was  a  sign  of  sin  and  the 
priesthood  of  Aaron  was  a  shadow  of  the  priesthood  of 
160 


SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OP  PENANCE  161 

Jesus  Christ.  There  was  confession  too  of  sins  under  the 
old  law;  for  we  read  in  the  Book  of  Proverbs:  "He  that 
hideth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper;  but  he  that  confesseth 
and  forsaketh  them  shall  obtain  mercy,"  (XXVII,  13),  and 
again  in  the  book  of  Psalms:  "I  said  I  will  confess  mine 
injustice  to  the  Lord  and  Thou  hast  forgiven  the  wicked- 
ness of  my  sins,"  (XXI,  5).  Christ  came  to  fulfil  the  law, 
not  to  destroy  it,  and  the  New  Dispensation  is  but  the  sub- 
stance, completion  and  perfection  of  the  old.  Before  His 
death  Christ  promised  to  confer  the  power  of  forgiving  sins 
upon  the  priests  of  the  new  law,  for  we  read  in  St.  Matthew 
(XVI  and  XVIII),  "And  I  say  to  thee  that  thou  art  Peter, 
and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  My  Church;  and  I  will  give 
to  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  whatsoever 
thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven, 
and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  shall  be  loosed 
also  in  heaven;"  "Amen,  I  say  to  you,  whatsoever  you 
shall  bind  upon  earth  shall  be  bound  also  in  heaven,  and 
whatsoever  you  shall  loose  upon  earth  shall  be  loosed  also 
in  heaven."  These  words  evidently  imply  a  power  over  the 
gates  of  Heaven, — a  power  to  open  and  shut  them,  a  power 
to  bind  the  wills  of  the  faithful  and  to  loose  them.  Now 
sin  is  the  only  chain  that  can  bind  man  to  Hell,  and  sin  is 
the  only  thing  that  can  keep  man  out  of  Heaven.  Christ 
therefore  promises  here  to  give  to  His  ministers  the  power 
to  forgive  and  retain  sins,  to  open  the  gates  of  Heaven  and 
to  close  the  gates  of  Hell. 

My  brethren,  this  power  which  was  prefigured  in  the 
old  law  and  which  Christ  promised  to  confer  upon  the 
Apostles,  He  gave  them  after  His  glorious  resurrection 
from  the  dead  as  we  learn  from  the  XX  chapter  of  St.  John. 
As  the  Apostles  were  assembled  together  in  one  room,  the 
doors  being  shut  for  fear  of  the  Jews,  on  the  day  of  His 
resurrection,  the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  the  shades  of 
evening  were  thickening  around  Jerusalem,  Christ  came 
and  stood  in  their  midst  and  said :  "Peace  be  to  you.  And 
when  He  had  said  this  He  showed  them  His  hands  and  His 
side.  The  disciples  therefore  were  glad  when  they  saw 
the  Lord.  He  said  therefore  to  them  again:  Peace  be  to 
you.  As  the  Father  hath  sent  He,  I  also  send  you.  Then 


162  SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE 

He  breathed  on  them  and  He  said:  Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive  they  are  forgiven 
them;  and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain  they  are  retained." 
Could  our  Divine  Lord  have  conferred  the  power  of  forgiv- 
ing sins  in  simpler,  clearer  and  more  explicit  language? 
On  these  words  principally  the  Church  bases  the  doctrine 
of  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  To  them  her  bishops  and 
priests  go,  when  "asked  by  what  authority  they  claim  to 
forgive  sins.  These  words  of  Christ  are  their  credentials. 

You  will  observe  that  Christ  did  not  confer  this  great 
power  until  after  His  glorious  resurrection,  until  after  He 
had  proven  to  the  wrorld  that  He  was  God.  You  will  observe 
too  that  He  did  not  confer  it  until  He  first  convinced  the 
Apostles  that  He  was  truly  risen.  And  you  will  observe 
likewise  that  before  He  conferred  it  He  said  to  the  Apostles : 
"As  the  Father  hath  sent  me  I  also  send  you."  His  Father 
hath  sent  Him  not  only  to  preach  the  remission  of  sins,  but 
to  forgive  sins.  And  finally  you  will  observe  that  before 
He  conferred  it  He  first  breathed  on  the  Apostles  and  then 
said :  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost."  Never  before  nor  after 
did  Christ  make  use  of  such  ceremony.  By  it  He  wished  to 
signify  that  this  power  was  a  divine  power  and  to  be  exer- 
cised by  and  through  the  Holy  Spirit.  Now  only  in  the 
sacred  tribunal  of  Penance,  through  the  confession  of  sins 
can  this  power  be  exercised  in  a  judicious  and  salutary 
manner.  Unless  the  penitent  confesses,  how  can  the  min- 
ister of  Christ  know  what  sins  should  be  forgiven,  and  what 
sins  should  be  retained?  As  in  the  old  law  the  leper  had  to 
be  first  examined  by  the  priest  before  he  certified  to  the 
cure;  so  also  in  the  new  law  the  priest  must  first  become 
acquainted  with  the  soul  of  the  penitent  before  passing 
judgment  which  is  to  be  ratified  in  high  heaven. 

My  Brethren,  Christ  must  necessarily  have  intended  that 
this  wonderful  power  which  was  conferred  upon  the  Apostles 
should  pass  down  to  their  successors  until  the  end  of  time. 
Nowhere  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  do  we  find  even  the  slight- 
est intimation  that  it  was  to  cease  with  the  Apostles.  As 
long  as  sin  lasts,  the  stream  of  grace  and  mercy  must  con- 
tinue to  flow.  There  would  be  more  need  of  such  power 
within  the  Church  after  the  death  of  the  Apostles  and  down 


SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OP  PENANCE  163 

through  the  Centuries,  when  charity  shall  have  grown  cold, 
than  during  their  lifetime.  History  proves  the  correctness  of 
this  inference.  For  in  the  Second  Century  the  great  Ter- 
tullian  exclaims:  "For  if  thou  thinkest  Heaven  is  still 
closed,  remember  that  the  Lord  left  here  the  keys  thereof 
to  Peter  and  through  him  to  the  Church."  In  the  Third 
Century  the  learned  Origen  cries  out:  "But  he  that  like 
the  Apostles  has  been  breathed  upon  by  Jesus;  he  forgives 
whatsoever  God  forgives  and  retains  the  sins  that  are  in- 
curable." The  brilliant  and  erudite  Basil  of  the  Fourth 
Century  says :  "It  is  necessary  to  confess  thy  sins  to  those 
to  whom  the  dispensation  of  the  mysteries  of  God  has  been 
committed."  And  St.  Augustine  of  the  Fifth  Century,  the 
intellectual  masterpiece  of  God's  creation,  writes:  "Tram- 
melled therefore  in  the  bonds  of  sin  so  deadly,  does  he 
decline  or  hesitate  to  fly  into  the  keys  themselves  of  the 
Church  by  which  he  may  be  loosed  on  earth  that  he  may  be 
loosed  in  heaven." 

From  the  First  to  the  Fifth  Century  then,  the  Church 
believed  and  taught  the  doctrine  of  auricular  confession.  And 
remember  all  non-Catholic  scholars  admit  that  the  Church 
was  pure  and  incorrupt  during  the  first  five  hundred  years 
of  her  existence.  The  practice  of  auricular  confession  has 
been  universal  within  the  Church  from  that  day  to  the 
present;  for  we  find  that  the  Nestorians  who  left  the 
Church  in  the  Fifth  Century,  and  the  Greeks  who  separated 
from  her  in  the  Ninth  Century  still  retain  it;  that  the  re- 
formers of  the  Sixteenth  Century  cried  out  against  it;  and 
that  since  the  Sixteenth  Century  until  now  all  over  the 
world  it  has  been  the  objection  of  the  constant  attack  of 
some  of  our  non-Catholic  brethren. 

My  Brethren,  I  believe  the  principal  objections  to 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance  and  the  cause  of  the  attacks 
made  upon  it,  come  from  a  misunderstanding  of  the  doc- 
trine. Once  understood  it  becomes  so  reasonable,  so  con- 
soling and  so  salutary.  Do  we  not  often  hear  it  said :  "Why 
resort  to  priests  for  the  forgiveness  of  sins?  Why  not  go 
directly  to  God?  How  can  man  forgive  sins?"  That  is 
a  divine  prerogative.  All  that  is  necessary  for  a  Catholic 


164  SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OP  PENANCE 

to  do  in  order  to  obtain  forgiveness  of  his  sins  is  to  con- 
fess them  to  the  priest.  , 

As  regards  the  first  objection,  we  say  that  God  is  our 
Master,  and  we  His  servants.  We  have  no  absolute  rights 
in  respect  of  Him,  but  only  duties.  He  is  the  one  offended 
by  sin,  and  He  certainly  knows  best  how  reparation  should 
be  made  to  Himself  and  what  is  best  for  us  in  the  matter 
of  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  Hence  if  He  has  ordained  that 
we  should  go  to  His  priests,  we  as  reasonable  beings  and 
as  Christians  must  willingly  obey  Him.  And  we  have  seen 
that  He  has  so  ordained  it. 

As  regards  the  second  objection,  we  say  that  the  priests 
do  not  forgive  sins  by  their  own  power,  but  by  a  divine 
power  which  has  been  conferred  upon  them  by  God.  The 
priests,  in  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  are  only  the  moral 
instruments  of  God.  God  is  the  principal  and  efficient 
cause  of  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  The  priests  are  God's 
ambassadors  in  the  Sacrament  of  Penance;  and  just  as  we 
have  ambassadors  abroad  whose  actions  in  state-craft  are 
ratified  at  Washington;  so  God  has  ambassadors  on  this 
earth  whose  actions  in  regard  to  the  forgiveness  or  re- 
tention of  sins  in  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  are  ratified  in 
Heaven ;  it  is  God  working  through  them  as  His  agents  and 
moral  instruments,  who  in  reality  forgives  the  sins.  And 
God  through  the  universe,  both  in  the  physical  and  moral 
order  always  makes  use  of  secondary  instruments  and 
agents  in  producing  effects. 

As  regards  the  third  objection,  we  say  that  the  peni- 
tent plays  a  very  important  part  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 
First,  he  must  examine  his  conscience  thoroughly  according 
to  the  commandments  of  God  and  the  precepts  of  the 
Church;  secondly,  he  must  confess  his  sins  humbly  and 
sincerely;  and  thirdly,  he  must  be  truly  contrite,  which 
implies  a  sorrow  of  heart  and  a  firm  resolve  not  to  sin 
again.  Every  intelligent  Catholic  knows  this,  and  he  also 
knows  that  it  is  better, — far  better  not  to  go  to  confession, — 
if  he  does  not  intend  to  do  all  this. 

My  Brethren,  God  in  instituting  the  Sacrament  of  Pen- 
ance was  moved  by  many  most  wise  and  merciful  reasons. 


SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE  165 

That  you  may  appreciate  better  this  great  sacrament,  I 
will  try  to  give  you  some  of  these  reasons,  as  I  understand 
them. 

By  sin,  man  insults  God,  injures  the  Church  and  hurts 
society.  Now  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  in  its  entirety 
is  made  up  of  three  parts;  namely,  contrition,  confession 
and  satisfaction.  By  contrition  or  sorrow  of  heart,  which 
God  alone  sees,  man  makes  reparation  to  God;  by  confes- 
sion, which  is  made  to  a  minister  of  the  Church,  who  repre- 
sents God,  man  makes  reparation  to  the  Church;  and  by 
fulfilling  the  penance  imposed,  man  makes  reparation  to 
outraged  society  over  which  God  exercises  sovereignty. 

Man  is  composed  of  soul  and  body,  and  the  soul  is 
reached  through  the  senses  and  affected  by  external  objects. 
And  just  as  ceremonies  are  necessary  to  keep  alive  internal 
religion;  so  also  is  confession  to  some  visible  person  neces- 
sary to  have  a  true,  sincere  and  minute  acknowledgment 
of  sin.  In  fact,  just  as  the  religious  feelings  of  the  soul 
shall  almost  necessarily  find  external  expression  through 
ceremonies;  so  also  shall  true  sorrow  for  sins  almost 
necessarily  find  external  expression  in  confession  and 
satisfaction.  God  gave  us  our  nature  and  He  in- 
stituted the  sacrament  to  fit  into  it  and  supply  its  needs. 

My  Brethren,  in  the  institution  of  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance  God  has  been  most  merciful  to  us.  Confession 
is  the  second  plank  held  out  to  \*s  after  the  first  shipwreck 
of  our  souls.  Confession  is  the  ladder  let  down  from 
Heaven  by  which  man  may  more  easily  mount  up.  Without 
the  Sacrament  of  Penance  there  is  only  one  other  way  by 
which  sins  committed  after  baptism  can  be  forgiven,  dnd 
that  is  by  an  act  of  perfect  love  of  God  which  is  difficult 
— most  difficult — to  have  and  which  is  the  fruit  of  a  very 
special  grace.  Oh  I  what  consolation  the  Sacrament  of  Pen- 
ance gives!  Without  it  no  one  can  be  certain  that  his 
sins  are  forgiven.  We  want  to  hear  with  our  own  ears: 
"Child,  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee;  go  and  sin  no  more." 
When  the  priest  pronounces  over  us  the  words :  ''I  absolve 
thee  from  all  thy  sins."  we  recognize  them  as  the  words  of 
Christ,  coming  directly  from  the  throne  of  mercy.  When 
the  priest  pronounces  over  us  those  words,  after  we  have 


166  SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OF  PENANCE 

confessed  sincerely  and  contritely,  we  feel  certain  that  that 
sentence  is  ratified  in  heaven,  and  that  our  sins  are  blotted 
out  from  the  "Book  of  Life".  Ask  any  great  sinner  the 
consolation  and  joy  experienced  by  him  after  a  worthy 
confession!  He  goes  into  the  confessional  downcast  and 
dejected,  but  behold  him  as  he  comes  out.  What  a  great 
change  has  come  over  his  countenance!  Instead  of  despair 
we  see  now  hope,  instead  of  sorrow  we  see  now  joy! 

In  the  confessional  the  priest  sits  not  only  as  a  judge, 
but  as  a  physician  and  a  father.  Sin  is  a  disease  of  the 
soul,  and  needs  a  spiritual  physician  just  as  much  as  the 
body  needs  a  corporal  physician.  Through  the  advice  given 
in  the  confessional  and  the  means  prescribed,  millions  and 
millions  have  been  able  to  break  the  bonds  of  sin,  and  live 
again  good  Christian  lives.  In  the  Tribunal  of  Penance, 
there  sits  a  man  skilled  in  the  ways  of  God,  and  who  under- 
stands the  human  heart,  and  knows  all  the  devices  of  Satan. 
How  many  innocent  children  are  preserved  in  their  inno- 
cence through  the  advice  given  in  the  confessional !  How 
many  boys  and  girls,  young  men  and  young  women  as  they 
begin  to  tread  the  paths  of  wickedness  leading  them  to, 
Heil.  are  saved  through  the  advice  given  in  the  Sacred  Tri- 
bunal !  How  many  adulterers  are  made  continent,  how  many 
drunkards  temperate,  how  many  thieves  honest,  how  many 
lecherous,  men  pure,  never  until  the  Day  of  Judgment  shall 
we  know !  The  penitent  is  like  the  soil  that  has  been  plowed 
and  harrowed  and  is  ready  for  the  seed  of  virtue,  and  God 
is  then  as  lavish  with  His  graces  as  He  is  with  the  fertiliz- 
ing showers  of  spring.  The  Sacrament  of  Penance  is  truly, 
as  many  infidel  writers  have  said,  one  of  the  greatest  pre- 
servers of  virtue  in  the  world,  and  one  of  the  most  effective 
reformatory  institutions  in  existence. 

Before  concluding  I  wish  to  mention  briefly  the  effects 
produced  in  the  soul  by  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  The 
first  effect  is  the  remission  of  mortal  sin.  The  Sacrament 
of  Penance  has  been  instituted  by  God  for  this  principal 
end, — to  destroy  sin  in  the  soul  and  implant  there  again 
the  life  of  grace.  The  second  effect  is  to  remit  some  of  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin.  This  is  accomplished  in 
two  ways  as  St.  Thomas  teaches.  First,  the  remission  is 


SERMON  ON  THE  SACRAMENT  OP  PENANCE  167 

effected  perfectly  by  the  adequate  satisfaction,  which  the 
sinner  makes  when  he  performs  willingly  the  penance  en- 
joined '  by  the  confessor.  And  secondly,  sometimes  there 
is  a  remission  of  part  of  the  temporal  punishment  effected 
by  the  intensity  of  sorrow,  which  springs  from  contrition. 
The  third  effect  is  the  regaining  of  the  lost  virtues,  which 
have  been  driven  out  of  the  soul  by  sin.  The  fourth  effect 
is  the  reviving  of  the  merits  of  the  good  works  which  were 
performed  by  the  sinner  when  in  the  state  of  grace.  The 
fifth  effect  is  the  remission  of  the  eternal  punishment  due 
to  mortal  or  grievous  sin;  for  it  is  impossible  that  a  soul 
which  is  united  to  God  by  true  love  can  be  a  subject  for 
the  punishment  of  Hell.  And  the  sixth  and  last  effect  is 
the  implanting  within  the  soul  of  the  hope  of  eternal  life, 
insomuch  as  by  and  through  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  the 
sinner  subjects  himself  to  the  keys  of  the  Church,  which  have 
all  their  virtue  from  the  Sacred  Passion  of  Jesus  Christ. 

My  Brethren,  let  us  return  sincere  thanks  to  God, 
who  out  of  His  great  goodness  and  mercy  has  condescended 
to  institute  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  and  has  thus  made 
the  way  of  salvation  and  holiness  easier!  Let  us  resolve 
tonight,  that  in  the  future  we  are  going  to  frequent  the 
Sacrament  of  Penance  often,  believing  and  knowing  that  the 
oftener  we  go  the  better  we  shall  become.  The  best  Catho- 
lics are  those  who  go  oftenest  to  the  sacraments.  What  a 
change  would  come  over  the  Church  if  all  Catholics  became 
weekly  penitents!  Let  us  always  bear  in  mind  when  pre- 
paring for  this  sacrament,  in  order  to  receive  it  worthily 
and  fruitfully,  four  things  must  be  done  by  us;  we  must 
examine  our  conscience  well,  confess  our  sins  honestly  and 
sincerely,  conceive  true  sorrow  and  have  a  firm  purpose  of 
amendment.  Only  on  these  conditions  will  the  judgment 
of  the  priest  be  ratified  in  Heaven:  uHe  said  therefore  to 
them  again:  'Peace  be  to  you.  And  as  the  Father  hath 
sent  Me,  I  also  send  you.'  When  he  had  said  this  He 
breathed  on  them  and  said  to  them:  'Receive  ye  the  Holy 
Spirit;  whose  sins  ye  shall  forgive  they  are  forgiven  them; 
and  whose  sins  ye  shall  retain  they  are  retained'." 


SERMON  ON  JUDGMENT. 

PREACHED     DURING     LENT     AT     ST.     JOSEPH'S     CHURCH, 

HUNTINGTON,    W.    VA. 

"And  it  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,  and  after 
this  the  judgment,"  (St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
chapter  IX,  27th  verse) . 

My  Dear  Brethren: — On  last  Sunday  we  meditated  on 
death.  We,  in  a  special  manner,  dwelt  upon  the  mental 
pain  and  anguish  which  would  accompany  it.  But  it  is  not 
death  itself  which  causes  us  to  tremble  and  to  be  filled  with 
remorse  and  regrets.  No;  it  is  that  which  comes  after 
death — judgment.  It  is  that  which  strikes  terror  into 
our  dying  souls.  I  am  to  be  judged ;  judged  by  an  all-seeing 
all-just,  all-pure  God;  judged  through  and  through — all  my 
thoughts,  words,  actions  and  omissions; — my  whole  life 
from  the  dawn  of  reason  to  death. 

My  Brethren,  as  there  are  to  be  two  judgments,  one 
immediately  after  death  and  the  other  at  the  end  of  the 
world,  we  shall  speak  upon  both,  but  more  upon  the  Particu- 
lar Judgment,  since  the  General  is  but  the  ratification  of 
the  Particular.  Let  us  enter  the  room  of  the  dying.  The  heart 
has  ceased  to  beat.  Relatives  and  friends  are  still  kneeling 
around  the  bed,  sending  forth  their  lamenfations  and  pray- 
ers. The  soul  is  being  judged !  Its  Maker  is  there !  Right 
there  and  then,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  the  light  of 
God's  countenance  shining  in  upon  that  soul  will  pierce 
it  through  and  through,  revealing  to  itself  its  true  state. 
There  will  be  no  discussion  of  the  case.  God  knows  its 
merits  and  demerits.  He  pronounces  sentence.  The  soul 
acquiesces  in  it,  seeing  the  justice  of  it.  The  soul  executes 
the  sentence  upon  itself.  Its  merits  or  demerits  or  need  of 
purgation,  according  to  St.  Thomas,  carries  it  to  its  own 
place  as  gravity  carries  the  stone  to  the  earth. 
168 


SERMON  ON  JUDGMENT  169 

At  this  Particular  Judgment  after  death,  no  one  will  be 
present  except  God  and  the  soul.  God  is  the  Judge.  The  time 
of  trial  is  over.  The  soul  can  no  longer  merit  or  demerit. 
The  day  of  reckoning  has  come.  The  day  of  the  Lord  is 
at  hand.  God  is  there  not  to  mete  out  mercy  but  to  mete 
out  justice.  We  cannot  flee  from  the  judgment,  we  cannot 
escape  it.  We  must  stand  there  face  to  face  with  God, 
to  hear  our  sentence. 

The  Particular  Judgment  will  determine  our  fate  for- 
all  eternity.  The  General  Judgment  will  not  change  it.  If 
we  are  lost,  we  are  lost  forever.  If  we  are  saved,  we  are 
saved  forever.  The  General  Judgment  will  be  but  a  con- 
firmation of  the  Particular. 

We  shall  be  judged  through  and  through.  The  light  of 
God's  countenance  shining  in  upon  us,  in  a  moment  of  time, 
will  reveal  all  our  thoughts,  words,  actions,  omissions,  and 
the  motives  which  prompted  them. 

We  shall  be  seen  and  see  ourselves  just  as  we  are  and 
have  been  in  reality.  There  will  be  no  diminution,  no 
palliation,  no  exaggeration.  For  once  our  souls  will  be 
laid  bare. 

All  my  secret  thoughts  will  be  laid  bare;  thoughts 
which,  if  I  knew  should  be  divulged,  would  fill  me  with  so 
much  shame  and  confusion  as  to  make  me  hide  my  face 
forever; — all  my  uncharitable  thoughts,  envious  thoughts, 
haughty  thoughts,  adulterous  thoughts,  will  appear  before 
me  and  stand  out  in  all  their  baldness.  Every  evil  word 
spoken  by  me  will  be  flashed  before  my  mind.  Words  which 
for  these  many  long  years  have  been  forgotten,  will  come 
back  to  my  memory  in  all  their  vividness.  Blasphemous 
words,  impure  words,  calumnious  words ;  all  of  them  will 
come  before  me.  All  my  actions ;  actions  done  in  secret  and 
in  public:  actions  committed  during  my  childhood,  during 
my  manhood;  and  during  my  old  age,  will  rise  up  in  judg- 
ment against  me.  Not  only  my  thoughts,  words  and 
actions,  but  my  omissions.  I  shall  have  to  answer  for 
all — the  good  which  I  could  have  done  and  did  not  do.  I 
shall  have  to  answer  for  neglected  opportunities.  I  shall 
have  to  answer  for  wasted  and  misspent  time.  I  shall  have 
to  answer  for  all  the  graces  which  God  bestowed  upon  me 


170  SERMON  ON  JUDGMENT 

(and  let  me  say  here  that  God  gives  everyone  more  than 
sufficient  grace  to  make  a  saint  of  him).  How  many  occa- 
sions for  doing  good  have  I  not  allowed  to  slip  by!  They 
are  as  numerous  as  the  hairs  of  my  head  or  the  grains  of 
sand  on  the  sea-shore.  Almost  every  moment  in  the  day 
presents  an  occasion  for  doing  good.  At  one  time  it  is  a 
kind  thought,  at  another  a  kind  word,  and  again  a  kind 
action.  Today  it  is  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  to  counsel  the 
doubtful  or  to  comfort  the  sorrowful.  Tomorrow  it  is  to 
feed  the  hungry,  to  clothe  the  naked  or  to  bury  the  dead. 
Now  is  it  to  practice  humility  and  meekness;  next  time  to 
practice  patience  and  gentleness. 

We  are  to  be  judged  too  of  the  motives  which  prompted 
the  various  acts.  And,  Oh!  what  a  disappointment!  We 
thought  we  were  laying  up  treasures  for  ourselves  in  heaven 
but  we  received  our  reward  in  this  world.  Vanity,  pride 
and  self-love  prompted  our  good  works.  We  performed  cor- 
poral and  spiritual  works  simply  to  acquire  the  name  of 
being  virtuous.  Omissions  and  the  absence  of  good  motives 
should  cause  those  striving  after  the  higher  and  better  life 
much  concern.  We  shall  be  judged  about  the  performance 
of  the  duties  and  obligations  of  our  state  in  life.  Parents, 
guardians,  what  a  responsibility  lies  upon  you!  You  will 
have  to  answer  for  your  children  to  God.  You  cannot  de- 
ceive Him.  God  has  given  you  children  to  bring  up  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  What  if  they  are  lost!  How  they 
shall  cry  out  against  you !  You  set  us  a  bad  example !  You 
scandalized  us!  You  pampered  us!  You  corresponded  not 
with  the  work  of  the  Church  in  our  Christian  education! 
You  remained  away  from  the  Sacraments  and  Mass!  You 
scarcely  ever  prayed!  You  cursed  and  sometimes  blas- 
phemed! You  quarrelled  at  home!  You  seldom  corrected 
us;  and  at  times  when  we  needed  it!  You  allowed  us  to 
associate  with  undisciplined  and  bad  boys  and  girls!  You 
allowed  us  to  roam  the  streets  at  night!  By  your  fault 
finding  and  unjust  criticism  of  those  in  authority,  especially 
ecclesiastical  superiors,  at  a  time  when  our  youthful  minds 
were  not  able  to  distinguish,  you  weakened  our  faith;  and 
we  are  now  in  hell  principally  through  it.  Parents,  re- 
flect! You  have  a  weighty  responsibility!  You  shall  have 


SERMON  ON  JUDGMENT  171 

to  answer  for  your  children ; — what  you  have  done  for  them 
and  what  you  have  neglected  to  do; — you  shall  have  to 
answer  for  them  as  long  as  they  were  under  your  authority. 

My  Brethren: — As  I  have  said,  we  shall  be  judged 
immediately  after  death.  And  the  judgment  will  be  over 
in  a  moment.  Whilst  still  surrounded  by  kneeling  relatives 
and  friends,  the  soul  has  been  judged.  Its  fate  has  been 
sealed  for  all  eternity.  When  the  light  of  God's  counten- 
ance shines  in  upon  us  at  death,  we  shall  see  ourselves,  our 
whole  lives,  our  good  and  bad  deeds,  in  a  moment  of  time, 
just  as  a  traveller  on  the  Alps  at  night  when  overtaken  by 
a  severe  storm,  by  a  sudden  flash  of  lightning  sees  the  whole 
mountain,  its  rocks  and  cliffs,  ravines  and  windings.  This 
suddenness  and  quickness  of  the  judgment  is  enough  to 
fill  us  with  terror.  No  discussion  of  the  case,  no  excuses  to 
be  offered,  no  argument  to  be  advanced,  no  pleading  for 
mercy.  The  light  of  God's  countenance  will  settle  it  all. 

How  shall  we  make  our  judgment  lighter  and  less 
severe?  The  Scripture  tells  us:  "Judge  not  and  you  shall 
not  be  judged;"  "As  you  do  unto  others,  so  will  my 
heavenly  Father  do  to  you;"  "If  we  judged  ourselves,  we 
shall  not  be  judged." 

"To  judge  not:"  The  inspired  writer  means  that  we 
are  not  to  dwell  uncharitably  on  the  faults  of  others  and 
especially  to  comment  on  them  and  reveal  them  without  just 
cause. 

"As  you  do  to  others :"  These  words  mean  to  be  kind 
to  everybody — kind  in  word  and  kind  in  action.  When  they 
are  in  need  of  light  to  enlighten  them,  when  they  are  in  need 
of  comfort  to  comfort  them,  when  they  are  in  need  of  money, 
food  or  clothes,  to  assist  them. 

"If  we  judged  ourselves:"  This  we  do,  my  brethren, 
by  frequent  examination  of  conscience,  serious  reflection 
and  constantly  renewed  resolutions. 

At  the  end  of  the  world  in  the  Valley  of  Josaphat,  as 
the  Scripture  says,  we  shall  be  judged  again.  The  angels 
will  blow  their  trumpets,  the  bodies  will  arise,  the  souls 
will  re-enter  them.  Christ  in  the  clouds,  preceded  by  the 
cross  and  a  heraldry  of  angels  shall  come.  The  Judgment 
will  begin.  All  our  evil  and  good  deeds  will  be  seen  by  the 


172  SERMON  ON  JUDGMENT 

whole  human  race.  All  our  thoughts,  words,  actions,  omis- 
sions and  motives  will  be  gone  over  again.  But  this  time 
the  whole  world  will  be  present  and  see  us  as  God  and  we 
saw  ourselves  at  the  Particular  Judgment.  God  judged 
us  then,  but  now  it  is  Christ.  By  this  judgment  the  justice 
and  mercy  of  God  in  dealing  with  each  individual  soul  will 
be  seen  and  acknowledged  by  the  human  race.  Then  will 
be  seen  the  secret  ways  of  His  providence.  Then  will  be 
seen  why  evil  apparently  triumphed  over  good. 

The'  sentence  of  the  Particular  Judgment  will  be  rati- 
fied. Christ  will  pronounce  sentence  upon  each  one.  To 
the  good  he  will  say :  "Come  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
possess  the  kingdom  prepared  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  To  the  wicked  He  will  say:  "Depart  from  Me  ye 
cursed  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels."  Time  is  ended !  Eternity  has  begun !  There  are 
only  two  places  and  two  states!  Heaven  and  Hell!  The 
state  of  the  blessed  and  the  state  of  the  damned! 


SERMON  ON  HELL. 

PREACHED  DURING  A  MISSION  TO  CATHOLICS  AT  COALBURG, 

WEST  VA. 

"Then  He  shall  say  to  them  also  that  shall  be  on  His 
left  hand :  Depart-  from  Me  you  cursed  into  everlasting  fire 
which  was  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,"  (St.  Mat- 
thew XXV,  41). 

My  Dear  Brethren,  these  words  of  our  Divine  Saviour 
teach  us  three  truths :  First,  that  there  is  a  Hell ;  secondly, 
that  the  punishment  is  eternal;  and  thirdly,  that  it  con- 
sists in  the  pain  of  loss  and  the  pain  of  the  senses.  Upon 
these  truths  we  shall  principally  dwell. 

The  pain  of  loss,  which  is  the  main  and  essential  punish- 
ment of  Hell,  is  the  deprivation  of  God  for  all  eternity. 
This  truth,  when  fully  realized,  is  most  terrible,  and  is 
enough  to  fill  our  souls  (as  it  does  fill  the  souls  of  those 
who  reflect)  with  dread  and  fear. 

Man  has  been  made  for  God.  The  possession  of  God 
is  his  end.  The  soul  longs  after  God  with  infinite  yearn- 
ings. Hence  it  is,  that  man  is  never  truly  happy  here. 
Creatures  can  furnish  a  transient,  partial  happiness,  but 
they  cannot  satisfy  the  desires  of  man's  soul ;  they  cannot 
fill  up  the  infinite  vacuum.  Let  us  examine  this  truth  more 
closely. 

The  intellect  of  man  has  been  made  for  truth.  The  will 
of  man  has  been  made  for  good.  Truth  is  the  object  of  the 
intellect  and  good  is  the  object  of  the  will,  just  as  light  is 
the  object  of  sight  and  sound  the  object  of  hearing.  But 
the  capacity  of  the  intellect  for  truth  is  infinite,  and  the 
capacity  of  the  will  for  good  is  infinite.  That  is,  only  the 
infinite  can  satisfy  these  faculties  of  the  soul;  because  no 
matter  how  much  truth  the  intellect  possesses  there  is  more 
to  be  possessed ;  no  matter  how  much  good  the  will  enjoys 
there  is  more  to  be  desired.  Therefore,  in  this  world  we  find 
men  ever  searching  for  these  objects  with  an  insatiable 

173 


174  SERMON  ON  HELL 

longing.  And  it  is  the  search  for  and  possession  of  them 
that  constitute  earthly  beatitude. 

The  sciences  and  the  arts  are  the  different  avenues  lead- 
ing to  truth  and  goodness.  Thus  are  theology,  philosophy, 
astronomy,  physics,  chemistry,  biology,  history,  7poetry, 
music,  painting,  sculpturing,  etc.  We  know  too,  what 
pleasure  and  delight  they  afford  men.  Consciously  or 
not,  all  men  seek  and  find  their  happiness  in  them.  And 
there  are  men,  who  become  so  wrapped  up  in  the  arts  and 
sciences,  as  to  be  almost  oblivious  of  everything  else.  The 
pleasures  of  sense  which  are  only  momentary,  they  almost 
disdain.  They  enjoy  them  only  as  means  to  an  end.  They 
use  them  only  as  God  intends,  namely,  to  urge  them  on  to 
the  performance  of  certain  acts  necessary  for  their  own 
lives  and  the  life  of  society. 

But  notwithstanding  all  this,  there  can  be  only  relative, 
incomplete  happiness  on  earth.  Absolute,  complete,  un- 
changeable happiness  is  reserved  for  the  blessed  in  heaven, 
in  the  possession  of  the  infinite. 

Now,  we  are  in  a  position  to  grasp  what  the  principal 
punishment  of  hell  is;  namely,  the  loss  of  God.  separation 
from  Him  for  all  eternity.  In  this  world,  whilst  we  are 
sojourners,  in  a  state  of  probation,  we  enjoy,  as  I  have  said, 
finite  truth  and  finite  good,  which  we  find  in  creatures.  We 
do  not  realize  our  banishment,  for  we  are  united  to  God 
in  a  way  through  them.  But  in  hell  our  separation  will 
be  complete.  Our  intellects  and  wills  shall  be  cut  off  entirely 
from  all  truth  and  all  good. 

In  Hell  too,  we  shall  realize  fully  what  the  loss  of  God 
is.  We  shall  see  the  ravishing  beatitude  of  the  Blessed; 
we  shall  understand  and  comprehend  what  God  is;  how 
the  beauty  and  truth,  goodness,  harmony  and  grandeur 
found  in  Him,  surpass  those  found  in  creatures,  in  an  in- 
finite degree.  No  comparison,  we  shall  see  can  be  instituted. 
Those  perfections,  the  source  of  our  happiness  on  earth,  are 
always  finite  and  limited  in  creatures,  whilst  in  God  they 
are  infinite  and  illimitable. 

In  Hell  we  shall  realize  that  in  losing  God  we  have 
lost  all.  We  shall  realize  that  we  have  lost  all  through 
our  own  fault.  We,  and  we  alone  are  to  blame.  We  could 


SERMON  ON  HELL  175 

have  turned  to  God  at  any  moment,  for  His  grace  was  ever 
ready,  but  we  refused.  One  simple,  sorrowing,  repentant 
act  of  the  will  would  have  been  sufficient,  but  we  would  not. 
We  would  not  make  the  effort;  we  were  too  thoughtless  or 
sluggish  or  too  much  wedded  to  creatures.  We  are  now 
lost !  We  are  separated  from  everything !  Remorse !  Re- 
morse! We  are  filled  with  remorse! 

Ever  yearning  after  God  with  the  infinite  longings  of 
our  soul,  but  never  possessing  Him!  Ever  being  drawn  to 
Him,  but  being  constantly  repelled!  Ever  flying  to  Him  but 
being  incessantly  beaten  back!  And  this  for  all  eternity! 
No  hope!  Despair!  Black  despair! 

Our  memory  in  Hell  will  be  ever  recalling  the  graces 
conferred  upon  us;  our  many  opportunities  for  C9nversion 
and  our  woeful  negelct.  Confusion,  disorder  and  anarchy 
will  reign  within  man.  No  truth  and  no  good  for  the  intel- 
lect and  will.  They  have  turned  away  from  their  objects. 
No  God  to  fill  up  the  infinite  yearnings  of  the  soul.  The 
soul  is  now  like  unto  a  big  powerful  engine  with  a  piston 
rod,  a  driving  shaft  on  a  fly  wheel  broken.  All  things 
are  intended  to  work  together  smoothly  and  harmoniously. 
But,  oh!  what  disorder  and  destruction!  The  engine  not 
only  tears  and  rends  itself,  but  destroys  and  scatters  every- 
thing around  in  the  wildest  confusion.  Hell  without  cor- 
poral punishment  is  dreadful  enough.  But  my  brethren, 
the  damned  shall  suffer  in  all  their  senses.  The  five  senses 
of  the  body,  like  the  powers  of  the  soul,  have  their  objects, 
We  know  that  light  is  the  object  of  sight,  sound  of  hearing, 
odors  of  smell,  palatable  things  of  taste  and  touch  of  feel- 
ing. Now,  in  Hell  these  five  senses,  since  they  have  been  the 
instrument  of  the  soul  and  have  shared  somewhat  in  its  evil 
works  will  be  punished.  In  Hell  there  shall  be  eternal 
darkness  to  punish  the  sins  of  the  eyes.  In  Hell  there  shall 
be  nothing  but  discordant  sounds  to  punish  the  sins  of  the 
ears.  In  Hell  there  shall  be  a  most  offensive  smell  to 
punish  the  sins  of  this  sense.  In  Hell  there  shall  be  ever- 
lasting thirst  to  punish  the  sins  of  gluttony.  And  in  Hell, 
my  brethren,  there  shall  be  fire  to  punish  the  sins  of  the 
flesh.  It  is  against  Catholic  teaching  to  deny  the  existence 
of  some  kind  of  fire  in  Hell.  And  it  is  the  common  teaching 


176  SERMON  ON  HELL 

of  the  fathers  and  theologians,  that  it  is  real  and  physical. 
The  great  Suarez  says  that  the  doctrine  which  holds  that 
the  fire,  which  is  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels,  is 
a  true  material  fire,  is  certain  and  Catholic.  Perrone,  an- 
other great  theologian,  believes  the  doctrine  to  be  so  certain 
that  it  cannot  be  questioned  without  temerity.  Doctor 
Hurter  says  that  it  is  the  common  teaching,  and  to  depart 
from  it  in  any  way  would  be  rash  and  timorous.  And  finally 
when  a  certain  priest  wrote  to  Rome  to  find  out  what  must 
be  done  with  a  penitent  who  believed  the  fire  to  be  not  real, 
but  only  metaphorical,  the  Sacred  Congregation  responded 
that  such  a  penitent  must  be  diligently  instructed,  and  if 
he  still  persevered  in  his  obstinacy,  he  must  be  refused 
absolution. 

Once  it  is  believed  that  our  senses  are  to  be  afflicted, 
it  matters  not  what  the  instruments  are.  The  pain  or  the 
suffering  is  the  important  consideration.  The  theory  of 
heat  which  is  accepted  at  present,  holds  that  it  is  molecules 
or  small  particles  of  matter  in  motion  that  produce  the 
sensation  of  warmth. 

My  Brethren,  just  as  there  are  grades  of  glory  in 
heaven,  so  there  are  grades  of  punishment  in  Hell.  They 
are  all  equal  in  the  sense  that  they  are  eternal,  or  will 
have  no  end;  but  they  are  unequal  in  intensity  or  sharp- 
ness. The  more  wicked  we  are,  the  more  we  shall  feel  the 
loss  of  God,  and  the  more  we  shall  suffer  in  our  senses. 
Hence,  in  "Dante's  Inferno"  there  is  much  truth. 

The  doctrine  of  Hell  is  a  great  stumbling  block  nowa- 
days. Many  of  the  sects  have  ceased  to  believe  in  its  eter- 
nity. The  Socinians  teach  that  the  wicked  will  be  annihi- 
lated after  death,  or  after  the  Last  Judgment.  The  Univer- 
salists  teach  that  after  various  trials  in  the  next  world,  the 
wicked  finally  will  be  saved.  The  Unitarians  teach  almost 
the  same  doctrine.  Many  of  the  Congregationalists,  and  all 
those  who  are  called  liberal  Protestants  and  some  of  the 
Episcopalians,  as  Canon  Farrar,  doubt  the  eternity  of  the 
punishment  of  Hell,  and  hold  that  a  new  probation  will 
be  given  to  those  who  have  not  sufficiently  known  Christ,  or 
have  been  placed  in  circumstances  which  made  salvation 


SERMON  ON  HELL  177 

difficult.  All  infidels  cry  out  that  the  doctrine  of  Hell  is 
opposed  to  the  wisdom,  mercy  and  justice  of  God. 

As  an  answer  to  doubting  Christians  we  say  that  the 
doctrine  has  been  revealed,  and  has  been  taught  and  be- 
lieved universally  by  the  Church  for  nineteen  hundred 
years.  The  doctrine  is  founded  upon  the  explicit  teachings 
of  the  Scripture  and  Tradition.  If  Scripture  and  Tradition 
do  not  teach  the  doctrine,  they  teach  nothing  at  all.  Do 
away  with  the  eternity  of  the  punishment  of  Hell  and  earth 
itself  will  become  a  Hell.  It  is  the  fear  of  Hell  that  deters 
most  men  from  sin  and  crime,  and  urges  them  on  to  live 
true  Christian  lives. 

To  the  Rationalists  we  say  that  the  doctrine  is  not 
opposed  to  the  attributes  of  God.  It  is  not  opposed  to  His 
wisdom,  for  contrary  to  what  the  Rationalists  say,  punish- 
ments are  not  only  intended  to  reform  the  criminal,  but  to 
repair  the  order  which  has  been  violated.  Eternal  punish- 
ment repairs  the  order  which  has  been  established  by  God 
and  violated  by  man,  separating  eternally  from  Him,  the 
sinner,  who  has  knowingly  and  willingly  turned  away  from 
Him.  It  is  most  consonant  to  the  wisdom  of  God,  because 
otherwise  the  sinner  could  sin  and  defy  God  with  impunity, 
knowing  that  in  time  he  should  be  saved.  It  is  most  con- 
sonant to  the  wisdom  of  God,  because  it  fosters  the  com- 
mon good  of  society,  by  compelling  respect  for  its  laws,  and 
the  rights  of  the  individuals.  It  is  most  consonant  to  the 
wisdom  of  God,  because  it  is  most  helpful  to  the  same  sinner 
urging  him  on  to  penance,  and  saving  his  soul,  oftentimes 
at  the  last  moment. 

The  doctrine  of  eternal  punishment  is  not  opposed  to 
the  mercy  of  God.  God  is  merciful  to  all;  but  His  mercy 
must  be  tempered  and  regulated  by  His  other  attributes.' 
Infidels  and  Materialists  all  seem  to  forget  that  God  is  just 
and  wise,  as  well  as  merciful  and  good.  They  seem  to  forget 
that  God's  mercy,  although  infinite  in  itself,  is  finite  and 
limited  in  its  application  to  creatures.  They  seem  to  forget 
that  God's  attributes  are  not  separate  and  distinct,  but  are 
one  in  Him ;  God  is  justice  and  mercy  and  wisdom  and 
truth. 


178  SERMON  ox  HELL 

The  doctrine  of  eternal  punishment  is  not  opposed  to 
God's  justice.  There  is  proportion  between  the  guilt  of 
mortal  sin,  and  the  eternal  punishhient  due  to  it.  Man  is  in 
rebellion  against  an  Infinite  Being;  hence  the  offence  in  this 
sense  is  infinite.  Man  being  finite  cannot  endure  suffering, 
infinite  in  its  intensity.  It  must  therefore  be  infinite  in  some 
way  to  be  proportionate  to  the  guilt,  or  infinite  in  duration. 
Finally  we  make  answer  to  the  infidel  that  it  is  man  who 
damns  himself.  He  turns  away  from  God  to  creatures  and 
dies  in  that  state.  We  make  answer  to  the  infidels,  Canon 
Farar  and  other  so  called  Liberalists,  about  the  damnation 
of  pagans  who  have  not  heard  the  gospel  of  Christ,  that  they 
will  not  be  damned  unless  they  have  sinned  grievously 
against  some  law  of  nature  and  have  died  impenitent.  To 
their  objection  about  the  damnation  of  unbaptized  infants, 
we  reply  that  they  are  not  sent  to  Hell,  and  do  not  suffer, 
although  they  will  not  see  God  as  the  Blessed  do  in  Heaven. 

In  conclusion,  my  brethren,  I  shall  place  before  you  a 
picture  which  may  be  of  some  service  to,  your  imagination 
when  thinking  on  Hell. 

Suppose  a  man  of  learning,  talent,  wealth  and  refine- 
ment;— suppose  this  man  to  be  the  idol  of  his  country.  He 
knows  not  what  sorrow  or  pain  is.  He  lives  in  a  palace. 
Every  wish  of  his  is  gratified.  Suppose  this  man  banished 
for  some  wrong  of  which  he  would  not  repent;  banished, 
sent  into  exile,  sent  to  a  bleak,  barren  island,  in  a  severe 
climate.'  He  is  cut  off  from  everybody  and  everything.  His 
food,  bitter  herbs;  his  clothes,  bark  of  trees  and  the  skin  of 
animals;  his  eyes  see  nothing  but  rocks,  cliffs,  and  pre- 
cipices. He  hears  nothing  but  the  cry  of  wild  beasts.  He 
is  separated  from  his  friends  and  family,  his  books  and 
songs  and  music  and  gardens.  There  is  no  hope  for  him. 
He  is  here  alone,  he  is  doomed  for  life.  He  knowrs  too,  that 
it  is  through  his  own  fault;  an  unrepentant  crime.  During 
that  man's  life  he  suffers — hell.  But  hell  is  much  worse 
than  this.  Death  will  bring  relief  to  him.  But  the  damned 
are  in  Hell  forever.  They  are  separated  from  God  and  from 
everything  that  can  give  or  cause  pleasure.  They  suffer  in 
the  soul,  and  they  suffer  in  the  body  and  for  all  eternity! 


SERMON  ON  HEAVEN. 

PREACHED  DURING  A  MISSION  TO  CATHOLICS  AT  COALBURG, 

W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — "Then  shall  the  King  say  to  them, 
that  shall  be  on  His  right:  Come,  ye  blessed  of  My  Father, 
possess  you  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  found- 
ation of  the  world ;"  words  taken  from  St.  Matthew,  Chapter 
XXV,  verse  34.  "We  see  now  through  a  glass  in  a  dark 
manner;  but  then  face  to  face.  Now  I%know  in  part;  but  then 
I  shall  know  even  as  I  am  known;"  words  taken  from  St. 
Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  Chapter  XIII,  verse  12. 

Heaven  is  both  a  place  and  a  state.  It  is  the  place  where 
Jesus  Christ  manifests  His  sacred  humanity  and  where  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  the  angels  and  saints  dwell.  It  is  the  state 
of  everlasting  happiness  possessed  and  enjoyed  by  God's 
friends.  The  happiness  of  the  Blessed  consists  principally 
and  essentially  in  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  God.  just 
as  the  punishment  of  the  damned  consists  principally  and 
essentially  in  the  deprivation  of  God,  and  all  that  follows 
from  the  loss  thereof. 

My  Brethren,  let  us  take  up  this  idea  and  as  far  as  we 
are  able  try  to  Comprehend  it,  for  it  is  the  true  and  rational 
idea  of  Heaven,  and  the  one  taught  us  by  Catholic  philos- 
ophers and  theologians. 

On  earth  we  see  and  possess  God  mediately  and  in- 
directly, that  is,  through  creatures  who  possess  truth  and 
goodness  in  a  limited  degree  and  which  flow  from  God, 
their  source.  In  Heaven  we  shall  see  and  possess  God  di- 
rectly and  immediately  just  as  we  see  and  possess  ourselves 
intuitively.  Consequently  on  earth  our  knowledge  of  God 
must  necessarily  be  obscure  and  our  possession  of  Him  very 
imperfect.  But  in  Heaven  our  knowledge  of  Him  will  be 
distinct  and  clear,  and  our  possession  of  Him  quite  perfect. 
And  from  this  supernatural  union  of  intellect  and  will  with 
God  shall  follow  ecstatic  bliss. 

179 


180  SERMON  ON  HEAVEN 

On  earth  we  see  God  by  reason  and  faith.  In  Heaven 
we  shall  see  Him  face  to  face.  Let  us  try  to  illustrate 
this.  There  are  three  ways  of  knowing  a  painter,  an  artist 
or  sculptor.  First,  by  his  works;  secondly,  from  the  testi- 
mony of  others;  and  thirdly,  from  personal  contact  with 
him.  From  his  painting  or  statue  or  work  of  art  which 
reflects  his  mind  we  get  some  knowledge  of  him.  The  world 
and  all  that  is  contained  therein  is  the  work  of  God.  Hence 
from  the  contemplation  of  the  beauty  and  goodness  and 
power  which  we  see  displayed  in  the  universe,  our  minds 
naturally  arise  to  their  source, — God.  This  is  seeing  God 
by  reason.  From  the  testimony  of  others  who  have  seen 
and  conversed  with  the  painter,  sculptor  or  artist,  you  get 
a  better  and  truer  knowledge  of  him.  The  inspired  writers 
of  both  the  Old  and  New  Testament  have  held  converse  writh 
God,  so  to  speak;  for  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost  who  moved  them 
to  write  and  enlightened  their  minds  and  guided  their  wills 
whilst  writing.  From  them  we  get  a  clearer  and  more  per- 
fect knowledge  of  God  than  through  His  works.  This  is 
seeing  God  by  faith.  Finally,  when  we  come  in  contact 
with  the  painter  or  sculptor  or  artist,— see  him  with  our 
own  eyes,  hear  him  with  our  own  ears,  touch  him  with  our 
own  hands — our  knowledge  of  him  becomes  more  perfect. 
Now  in  Heaven  our  knowledge  of  God  will  be  in  the  last 
way,  by  direct  sight  and  vision — "Not  through  a  glass  in  a 
dark  manner,  but  face  to  face",  as  St.  Paul  says.  But  we 
shall  not  comprehend  God  in  Heaven  although  all  darkness 
and  dimness  and  obscurity  shall  have  disappeared  from  His 
face.  Only  the  infinite  can  comprehend  the  infinite,  or  only 
God  can  comprehend  God. 

The  next  question  is,  how  shall  we  come  to  such  knowl- 
edge of  God?  Is  it  not  above  the  power  and  comprehen- 
sion of  the  human  intellect?  Yes,  it  is  truly  above  the 
power  and  comprehension  of  the  human  intellect  if  left  to  it- 
self, to  come  to  the  Beatific  Vision  and  see  God  face  to  face 
as  He  is  Himself.  Therefore  after  death  God  bestows  upon 
the  souls  of  the  blessed  the  "Light  of  Glory"  which  so  ele- 
vates and  perfects  their  intellects  as  to  make  them  capable 
of  such  vision — of  seeing  God  in  a  way  divine.  Let  us  try 
to  illustrate  this,  although  the  comparison,  which  I  shall 


SERMON  ON  HEAVEN  181 

use,  being  material,  will  savor  somewhat  of  unbecomingness. 
A  rubber  bag  when  not  expanded  is  only  capable  of  holding 
a  certain  amount  of  water,  but  if  extended  or  drawn  out, 
can  be  made  to  contain  twice  as  much  or  more.  By  the 
"Light  of  Glory"  the  human  intellect  and  the  human  will 
shall  be  so  expanded  and  elevated  as  to  make  them  capable 
of  seeing  and  possessing  God — the  Infinite  Truth  and  the 
Infinite  Good. 

My  Brethren,  although  all  the  just  in  Heaven  will  look 
upon  God,  and  behold  Him  face  to  face,  and  be  united  to 
Him  most  intimately,  yet  not  all  equally.  Just  as  in  Hell 
there  are  different  grades  of  punishment,  so  in  Heaven 
there  will  be  different  grades  of  bliss.  This  will  arise  from 
the  diversity  of  the  "Light  of  Glory"  conferred  upon  us. 
And  the  measure  of  the  "Light  of  Glory"  will  be  determined 
by  our  charity  or  our  love  of  God.  Where  there  is  greater 
love  of  God  there  will  be  a  greater  desire  to  be  united  to 
Him.  And  according  to  the  teaching  of  St.  Thomas  the 
greater  the  desire  in  the  subject  the  more  fit  and  prepared 
it  will  become  to  receive  more  of  the  object  desired.  In 
Heaven,  however,  there  will  be  no  jealousy  or  envy  since 
the  blessed  are  not  disturbed  by  any  inordinate  passion. 
They  love  their  companions  in  glory  with  the  most  perfect 
love,  and"  consequently  rejoice  in  their  happiness.  In 
Heaven  every  desire  of  the  heart  will  be  perfectly  satisfied, 
since  its  capacity  for  enjoying  will  always  be  filled  to  its 
utmost. 

The  object  of  the  Beatific  Vision  is  twofold.  The 
primary  object  is  the  same  God  who  is  seen  in  Himself. 
The  secondary  object  are  creatures  which  are  seen  in  God. 
The  primary  object  as  the  theologians  say.  includes  what- 
ever is  contained  formally  in  God,  namely,  the  Divine 
Essence,  all  of  God's  attributes,  and  the  Three  Divine  Per- 
sons of  the  adorable  Trinity.  The  secondary  object  includes 
whatever  is  contained,  as  the  theologians  say,  eminently  in 
God,  namely,  all  creatures  actual  and  possible  according  to 
the  degree  of  Glory  conferred  on  the  Blessed.  The  first  act 
constitutes  their  essential  happiness,  and  the  second  their 
accidental. 


182  SERMON  ON  HEAVEN 

My  Brethren,  the  Blessed  in  Heaven  besides  seeing  God, 
will  see  many  things  pertaining  to  their  state  in  life;  since 
they  are  in  perfect  happiness,  and  their  desires  have  become 
but  purified,  they  will  still  wish  to  know  much  about  this 
world,  and  those  whom  they  have  left  behind.  In  order  to 
know  what  will  be  of  interest  to  them,  theologians  consider 
them  under  three  different  aspects.  First,  they  have  been 
elevated  to  the  supernatural  state,  and  from  this  view  they 
shall  necessarily  know  all  the  mysteries  of  religion,  which 
they  believed  on  earth,  in  a  more  perfect  manner,  and  all 
the  saints,  especially  those  for  whom  and  to  whom  they 
had  a  fervent  love  and  tender  devotion.  Secondly,  they  are 
part  of  the  universe,  and  consequently  will  desire  to  know, 
and  shall  know  all  the  genera  and  species;  in  other  words 
they  will  have  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences, 
and  above  all  that  branch  of  science  or  art  for  which  they 
had  a  special  fondness.  Thirdly,  they  have  either  been  a 
private  or  public  character,  and  therefore  they  will  desire 
to  know  and  shall  know  whatever  pertains  to  their  state. 
A  father  or  mother  will  know  what  is  happening  in  their 
families.  They  will  love  those  dear  ones  on  earth  now  with 
a  greater  love  and  will  pray  unceasingly  for  them.  The 
popes  will  be  interested  in  what  concerns  the  universal 
Church ;  the  bishops  will  be  interested  in  what  concerns 
their  dioceses;  the  priests  will  be  interested  in  what  con- 
cerns their  parishes;  and  reiigious  superiors  will  be  inter- 
ested in  what  concerns  their  communities;  and  presidents, 
kings,  emperors,  princes  and  all  secular  rulers  will  be  inter- 
ested in  their  respective  governments  and  in  what  concerns 
their  weal  or  woe. 

My  Brethren,  from  the  Beatific  Vision,  or  the  intuitive 
and  direct  union  of  God,  will  follow  beatific  love  or  the  full 
and  perfect  love  of  God.  Theologians  prove  it  in  this  way. 
Our  wills  necessarily,  by  a  very  law  of  their  nature,  are  borne 
towards  the  greatest  good  as  it  is  seen  and  known.  Now, 
by  the  direct  vision  of  God  we  shall  see  and  know  that  God 
is  the  greatest  Good,  or  the  Good  which  contains  all  good 
as  their  source,  cause  and  exemplar.  Our  wills  must  neces- 
sarily then,  tend  towards  God  by  the  most  powerful  and 
fervent  love.  By  the  "Light  of  Glory"  and  the  "Habit  of 


SERMON  ON  HEAVEN  183 

Charity",  our  intellects  and  wills  shall  be  so  elevated  and 
perfected  as  to  be  able  to  see  God  clearly,  openly  and  di- 
rectly, and  to  love  Him  constantly  and  unceasingly  in  the 
most  perfect  manner.  From  this  will  follow  ecstatic  bliss. 

In  Heaven  we  shall  be  so  transformed  into  our  Beloved 
as  to  be  almost  perfectly  oblivious  of  self.  We  shall  be  so 
drawn  towards  Him,  and  be  one  with  Him  in  thought,  de- 
sire and  affection  as  to  be  almost  dead  to  self,  living  only 
in  God  and  seeking  nothing  but  His  glory.  Continually 
contemplating  the  Divine  Beauty  and  unceasingly  loving 
the  Divine  Good,  we  shall  become  like  the  fishes  in  the  sea, 
immerged  so  to  speak,  and  lost  in  the  immeasurable  and 
illimitable  Beauty  and  Goodness  of  God. 

This  ineffable  joy  and  delight  will  be  ours  forever.  And 
when  millions  and  millions  of  years  will  have  rolled  by,  we 
shall  still  be  experiencing  in  our  souls  this  same  inexpres- 
sible, yea,  inconceivable  joy  and  delight.  And  after  the 
Last  Judgment  the  bodies  of  the  blessed  will  rise,  take  on 
spiritual  properties  and  be  united  to  their  souls  to  share  in 
their  glory  and  blessedness.  My  brethren,  always  keep 
before  your  minds  these  truths — Hell  and  Heaven — an  eter- 
nity of  misery  or  an  eternity  of  bliss.  Only  grievous  sin, 
not  repented  of  can  send  you  to  Hell  or  keep  you  out  of 
Heaven. 

In  conclusion  I  shall  quote  a  few  words  from  St.  John's 
description  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  as  found  in  the 
Apocalypse : 

"And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth:  For  the 
first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  was  gone,  and  the  sea  is  now 
no  more.  And  I,  John,  saw  the  holy  city,  the  new  Jerusalem, 
coming  down  out  of  heaven  from  God,  prepared  as  a  bride 
adorned  for  her  husband.  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  from  the 
throne  saying :  'Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  with  men ;  and 
He  will  dwell  with  them.  And  they  shall  be  His  people;  and 
God  Himself  with  them  shall  be  their  God.  And  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes;  and  death  shall  be  no 
more,  nor  mourning,  nor  crying,  nor  sorrow  shall  be  any 
more,  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away  * 
And  He  took  me  up  in  spirit  to  a  great  and  high  mountain ; 
and  He  showed  me  the  Holy  City.  Jerusalem  coining  down 


184  SERMON  ON  HEAVEN 

out  of  Heaven  from  God.  Having  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  light  thereof  was  like  to  a  precious  stone,  as  to  the  jasper 
stone,  even  as  crystal.  And  it  had  a  wall  great  and  high, 
having  twelve  gates,  and  in  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and 
names  written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel  ******.  And  the  found- 
ations of  the  wall  of  the  city  were  adorned  with  all  manner 
of  precious  stones.  The  first  foundation  was  jasper;  the 
second  sapphire;  the  third,  a  chalcedony;  the  fourth,  an 
emerald;  the  fifth,  a  sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius;  the 
seventh,  chrysolite;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the  ninth,  topaz;  the 
tenth,  the  chrysoprasus ;  the  eleventh,  a  jacinth;  the  twelfth, 
an  amethyst  *********.  And  He  showed  me  a  river 
of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  from  the  throne 
of  God  and  of  the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  thereof, 
and  on  both  sides  of  the  river  was  the  tree  of  life  bearing 
twelve  fruits,  yielding  its  fruits  every  month,  and  the  leaves 
of  the  tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  And  there 
shall  be  no  curse  any  more;  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of 
the  Lamb  shall  be  in  it,  and  His  servants  shall  serve  Him. 
And  they  shall  see  His  face;  and  His  name  shall  be  on 
their  foreheads.  And  night  shall  be  no  more;  and  they 
shall  not  need  the  light  of  the  lamp,  nor  the  light  of  the 
sun,  because  the  Lord  God  shall  enlighten  them,  and  they 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 


SERMON  ON  JESUS  IN  THE  GARDEN  OF  OLIVES. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — We  begin  tonight,  our  meditation 
on  the  most  awful  sacred  drama  that  was  ever  enacted 
among  men ! — The  Passion  and  Crucifixion  of  Jesus  Christ, 
our  God,  our  Saviour,  our  Lord  and  King!  Let  us  with 
sorrowful,  loving,  grateful  hearts  follow  Jesus  from  the 
Garden  of  Gethsemani  to  the  Heights  of  Calvary ! 

After  having  instituted  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  Jesus 
wended  His  way  to  the  Garden  of  Olives.  Here  He  was 
accustomed  to  pass  the  night  whenever  He  came  to  Bethany. 
Judas  knew  this  Garden  well,  for  many  a  time  he  had 
accompanied  His  Master  thither.  Hardly  had  Christ  en- 
tered the  Garden  when  He  felt  the  pangs  of  His  agony 
coming  upon  Him.  "Sit  ye  here,"  said  He  to  His  disciples, 
"while  I  go  yonder  and  pray."  Into  the  thickest,  darkest 
part  of  the  garden  where  the  light  of  the  moon  did  not 
penetrate,  Christ  retired.  He  took  with  Him,  Peter,  James 
and  John,  for  they  were  to  drink  with  Him,  the  cup  of  His 
sorrow.  And  now  terror  and  dejection  are  painted  on  His 
countenance;  something  like  a  death  stupor  conies  over 
Him;  the  three  Apostles  are  frightened;  for  never  before 
had  they  seen  their  Master  plunged  in  such  sadness.  "My 
soul"  cried  He,  "is  sorrowful  unto  death!  wait  here,  watch 
and  pray!" 

Then  withdrawing  about  a  stone's  throw  from  them 
He  fell  upon  His  knees,  bowed  His  head  and  prayed  that 
if  it  were  possible,  this  hour  might  pass  from  Him. 
"Father  all  things  are  possible  to  Thee ;  take  away  this  cup 
from  Me."  Yes,  this  cup  of  anguish  wherein  He  tasted  be- 
forehand all  the  bitterness  of  His  passion ; — this  cup  so  full 
of  woe,  the  Christ  shrank  from  enduring  any  more;  and  He 
remained  motionless  for  a  long  while  asking  the  Father  for 
strength.  His  prayer  was  heard ;  and  immediately  He  said  : 
"Let  Thy  will  not  Mine,  be  done." 

185 


186       SERMON  ON  JESUS  IN  THE  GARDEN  OP  OLIVES 

He  returns  to  the  three  disciples  to  find  some  comfort 
and  relief,  but  they  are  asleep.  There  was  not  one  human 
heart  to  watch  with  Him.  Peter  the  bold,  James  the  cour- 
ageous, and  John  the  beloved,  are  fast  asleep.  They  slept 
whilst  their  Master  only  a  few  steps  away,  was  racked 
with  anguish.  Not  one  of  the  chosen  three,  whom  He  had 
brought  to  uphold  and  sustain  Him  had  offered  Him  any 
consolation.  Addressing  the  most  presumptuous  of  the 
three,  He  said:  "Simon,  so  thou  sleepeth!  Couldst  thou 
not  then  watch  one  hour  with  Me?  Watch  ye  and  pray  that 
j-ou  enter  not  into  temptation;  the  spirit  is  willing,  but 
the  flesh  is  weak." 

The  disciples  saw  Him  withdraw  for  the  second  time 
and  cast  Himself  in  the  dust  and  writhe  in  the  throes  of 
His  agony,  while  His  lips  still  murmured  the  same  prayer 
as  before:  "Father  if  this  chalice  cannot  pass  except  I 
drink  it,  Thy  will  be  done."  Weariness  overcame  the 
Apostles  the  second  time;  and  upon  returning  Christ  found 
them  asleep,  and  they  had  no  answer  to  make. 

For  the  third  and  last  time  Christ  leaves  the  chosen 
three  to  begin  the  mightiest  of  all  conflicts  with  the  power 
of  darkness.  Hell  was  let  loose  upon  the  soul  of  that  inno- 
cent Lamb !  Sin  came  near  Him !  Before  His  eyes,  passed 
the  whole  empire  of  sin!  All  sinners  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world  to  the  end  of  time,  passed  before  Him  that 
night!  Before  Him  passed  that  night,  the  drunkards  with 
their  thick,  stammering  lips  and  filthy  brains !  Before  Him 
passed  that  night  the  impure  men  revelling  in  their  lechery ! 
Before  Him  passed  that  night  the  blasphemers  uttering 
their  awful  imprecation !  Before  Him  passed  that  night  the 
murderers  reeking  in  the  blood  of  their  victims !  Yes,  be- 
fore Him  passed  that  night,  you  and  I,  my  brethren,  in  all 
the  dark  ways  of  our  iniquity!  That  night  Christ  realized 
that  notwithstanding  all  He  was  about  to  suffer.  His 
passion  would  not  avail  some — that  some  souls  would  be 
lost.  Oh!  it  was  this  thought — the  thought  of  the  fruitless 
ness  of  His  passion — that  bruised  and  crushed  His  sacred 
heart  and  caused  the  blood  to  ooze  from  out  all  His  pores 
and  run  trickling  to  the  ground!  But  Jesus  prayed  the  more 


SERMON  ON  JESUS  IN  THE  GARDEN  OF  OLIVES      187 

ardently,  ever  repeating:  "Father  if  this  chalice  cannot 
pass  except  I  drink  it,  Thy  will  be  done." 

Ah !  these  tears !  this  suppliant  cry !  that  blood !  pierced 
the  highest  heavens — and  His  Father  sent  an  angel  to  com- 
fort Him !  and  Christ  rose  up  strengthened  and  consoled. 
And  He  goes  to  His  slumbering  disciples  and  addresses 
them  in  words,  breathing  forth  tenderness  mingled  with  re- 
proachfulness :  "Sleep  on  now  and  take  your  rest." 

Whilst  Christ  was  still  speaking,  down  at  the  foot  of  the 
Garden  there  appears  an  armed  band,  made  up  of  Roman 
soldiers,  Jews -of  every  rank  and  condition,  officers  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  Temple-guards,  and  servants  of  the  High-Priest. 
Judas  Iscariot  is  leading  them.  They  come  with  their 
staves  and  swords,  with  their  flaring  torches  and  glimmer- 
ing lanterns  to  ferret  out  the  meek  and  harmless  Christ. 
"Whomsoever  I  shall  kiss  that  is  He;  seize  Him;"  thus 
spoke  Judas  to  the  rabble. 

While  they  were  still  consulting,  Christ  came  sud- 
denly into  their  midst  and  asked:  "Whom  do  you  seek?" 
Judas  is  dumbfounded,  but  the  crowd  responds:  "Jesus,  of 
Nazareth."  "I  am  He",  replied  Christ.  Terrified,  one  and 
all  recoiled  and  fell  at  the  Master's  feet.  "Wliom  do  you 
seek?"  again  asked  Christ.'  "Jesus,  of  Nazareth,"  came  the 
second  response.  "I  have  already  told  you;  it  is  I,  Jesus, 
of  Nazareth;"  and  He  added:  "If  you  are  seeking  Me,  let 
these  go,"  meaning  His  Apostles. 

Then  it  was  that  Judas  came  forward  and  pressed  his 
hypocritical,  impure  lips  to  the  flushed  chaste  cheek  of 
Christ,  and  said:  "Master,  Master,  hail!"  Meekly  but  ad- 
monishingly  the  Saviour  replied:  "Friend  is  it  for  this 
that  thou  art  here  to  betray  the  Son  of  man  with  a  kiss?" 

Immediately  the  soldiers  came  forward  and  seized 
Jesus;  whereupon  Simon  Peter  withdrew  his  sword  and 
cut  off  the  right  ear  of  Malchus,  the  servant  of  the  High 
Priest.  All  is  excitement;  fierce  feelings  of  anger  and  re- 
venge arise  within  their  breasts ;  but  Christ  quells  the  storm 
by  touching  the  servant's  ear  and  healing  it.  Then  turning 
towards  Peter.  He  rebuked  him  by  saying:  "Return  thy 
sword  to  its  sheath;  for  whosoever  taketh  the  sword  shall 
perish  by  the  sword."  Again  He  began  to  feel  His  agony 


188       SERMON  ON  JESUS  IN  THE  GARDEN  OF  OLIVES 

coming  upon  Him  and  He  strengthens  Himself  by  repeat- 
ing :  ''What !  shall  I  not  drink  the  chalice  which  My  Father 
hath  given  Me  to  drink?  Thinkest  thou  that  I  cannot  pray 
to  Him  and  presently  He  will  send  hither  unto  me  more 
than  twelve  legions  of  angels?  Yet  how  then  shall  the 
scriptures  be  fulfilled  wherein  it  says  that  even  so  it  must 
needs  be!" 

Hereupon  Christ  perceives  some  members  of  the  San- 
hedrim who  had  come  out  against  Him,  and  He  protests 
against  their  violence:  "You  are  come  out  against  Me  as 
against  a  thief,  to  seize  Me  with  swords  and  staves.  I  was 
every  day  in  the  midst  of  you,  teaching  in  the  Temple  and 
you  did  not  hinder  Me;  but  lo!  this  is  your  hour  and  the 
power  of  darkness,"  and  He  adds :  "All  this  happeneth  that 
that  which  was  written  by  the  prophets  may  be  accom- 
plished." 

The  Apostles  now  take  to  flight.  They  forsake  their 
Master;  they  leave  Him  in  the  hands  of  the  rabble;  and 
they  flee  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  They  forsake  Him 
who  had  been  more  to  them  than  the  best  of  fathers,  broth- 
ers, and  sons !  They  forsake  Him  and  leave  Him  in  the 
hands  of  those  who  are  thirsting  for  His  blood ;  who  rush 
upon  Him  as  the  tiger  upon  its  prey;  who  seize  Him,  bind 
Him,  and  drag  Him  on  to  Jerusalem  to  begin  another 
scene  of  His  Passion! 

My  Dear  Brethren,  in  our  meditation  on  the  Passion 
of  Christ,  let  us  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact,  let  it  be  upper- 
most in  our  minds,  that  we  sinners  were  the  real  cause 
of  Christ's  sufferings — the  Jews  were  only  the  instruments. 
If  we  had  not  sinned,  Christ  would  not  have  suffered  and 
died. 

In  the  agony  of  Christ  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemani, 
when  He  sweat  blood,  let  us  try  to  learn  from  it  what  a 
great  evil  sin  is — its  heinousness  and  its  malice.  Because 
sin  came  near  Him, — that  it  was  chiefly  that  brought  the 
blood  forth  from  out  His  veins  and  covered  Him  in  a  bloody 
sweat. 

In  Christ's  taking  Peter,  James  and  John  with  Him, 
and  aHking  them  to  watch  with  Him,  and  His  coming  back 


SERMON  ON  JESUS  IN  THE  GARDEN  OF  OLIVES      189 

to  them  for  comfort,  we  are  taught  eloquently  that  Christ 
possessed  a  true  human  heart. 

In  the  sleep  and  slumber  of  the  three  chosen  ones,  we 
have  an  object  lesson  of  the  two  laws  within  our  members, 
as  St.  Paul  says: — the  superior  and  inferior  law.  They 
wished  to  watch  with  Christ.  But,  oh!  the  flesh  asserted 
itself.  The  spirit  was  willing  but  the  flesh  was  weak,  as 
Christ  Himself  admonishingly  told  them,  and  they  slept 
on. 

My  Brethren,  God  never  forsakes  those  who  put  their 
trust  in  Him.  Behold!  how  He  sent  an  angel  from  Heaven 
to  comfort  His  Son  in  answer  to  that  humble  prayer.  In 
all  difficulties  and  trials  and  crosses,  let  our  prayers  be 
the  same,  as  Christ's:  "Thy  will,  Father,  not  mine  be 
done." 

In  the  going  forth  of  Christ  to  meet  the  rabble  and  their 
falling  at  His  feet  in  great  terror,  let  us  see  the  divinity 
in  Him.  He  read  their  minds  and  it  was  the  divine  power 
that  thrust  them  down  unwillingly  to  acknowledge  His 
divinity. 

And  finally,  my  brethren,  in  the  kiss  of  Judas  let  us 
see  ourselves,  whenever  directly  or  indirectly,  we  hide  our 
Catholicity,  or  compromise  its  principles. 


SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  PILATE  AND  HEROD. 

PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

The  Sanhedrim  delivered  Jesus  to  Pilate,  the  Roman 
Governor  of  Judea.  The  priests  did  not  accompany  Him, 
but  the  rest  of  the  assembly  conducted  Him  within  the 
precincts  of  the  Praetorium. 

Pilate  being  a  keen  Roman  politician,  suspected  some 
plot  against  Christ.  Besides,  his  wife,  who  had  been  con- 
verted secretly,  warned  him  not  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  the  condemnation  of  this  just  man.  But  out  of  respect 
for  the  Jews  he  had  to  hear  them  at  least.  "What  accusa- 
tion", he  inquired,  ado  you  bring  against  this  man?" 

The  Sanhedrim  had  hoped  that  their  eagerness  and  the 
moment  at  which  they  presented  themselves  would  have 
prevailed  with  Pilate.  Their  disappointment  found  its  ut- 
terance in  bitter  terms.  "If  this  man  were  not  a  malefactor 
we  would  not  have  delivered  him  to  you."  This  answer 
incensed  Pilate  and  he  responded  ironically:  "Take  Him 
yourselves  and  judge  Him  according  to  your  laws."  "We 
no  longer  have  the  power  of  putting  any  one  to  death," 
replied  the  Jews,  disclosing  in  this  manner  how  far  they 
wished  to  proceed. 

But  Pilate  was  not  inclined  tp  ratify  the  condemnation 
of  Jesus,  and  now  intends  to  review  the  whole  proceedings. 

The  charges  brought  against  Jesus  were  three :  exciting 
the  people;  forbidding  them 'to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar;  and 
calling  Himself  the  Christ-king. 

Pilate  paid  little  attention  to  the  first  two  accusations, 
but  what  could  the  third  mean?  What  was  the  significance 
of  this  title  which  seemed  at  once  to  involve  a  civil  and 
religious  dignity?  What  royalty  could  the  Prisoner  now 
law  claim  to?  Pilate  wishes  more  light  and  summons 
Jesus. 

And  when  they  were  alone  together  Pilate  says:  "Are 
you  truly  king  of  the  Jews?"  "Do  you  say  this  of  your- 
self or  have  others  told  you  this  of  Me?"  responds  Jesus.  Sur- 

190 


SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  PILATE  AND  HEROD       191 

prised  at  finding  Jesus  penetrating  his  mind  so  easily  he 
answered  brusquely:  "Am  I  a  Jew  forsooth?  Your  nation 
and  your  pontiffs  have  delivered  you  up  to  me.  What  have 
you  done?" 

The  question  drew  forth  no  reply.  Pilate  is  trying 
to  keep  down  the  movements  of  grace,  and  finally  he  asks 
himself  secretly:  "What  then  is  this  kingdom  of  His?" 
Christ  reads  his  mind  and  answers  the  inquiry :  "My  king- 
dom is  not  of  this  world.  If  My  kingdom  were  of  this 
world,  My  ministers  would  strive  that  I  should  not  be 
delivered  to  the  Jews.  My  kingdom  is  not  from  hence." 

"Then  you  are  a  king?"  exclaimed  Pilate.  "Thou  hast 
said  it"  and  He  added,  "I  was  born  and  came  into  the 
world  in  order  to  render  homage  unto  the  truth.  Whosoever 
is  of  the  truth  heareth  My  voice."  "What  is  truth?"  asked 
Pilate  and  then  at  once  turned  away  to  escape  the  influence 
which  Jesus  was  exerting  over  him. 

"I  find  nothing  worthy  of  death  in  this  man,"  said 
Pilate  to  the  Jews.  At  this  answer  to  their  appeals  the 
cries  of  rage  burst  out — more  wildly  than  before.  The 
priests  and  ancients  persisted  with  great  violence,  besieg- 
ing his  ears  with  accusations  which  grew  even  more  vague 
and  more  contradictory.  He  commands  that  Jesus  be 
brought  back  to  him.  His  presence  excites  a  new  outburst 
of  fury. 

"Do  you  not  hear  of  the  many  things  they  accuse  you?" 
said  Pilate  to  Jesus.  But  Christ  answered  not  a  word. 
This  silence  filled  Pilate  with  admiration  and  he  began  to 
cast  about  for  some  escape  from  this  predicament,  but  the 
Jews  pleaded  more  fiercely :  "He  stirs  up  the  people,  teach- 
ing throughout  all  Judea,  beginning  from  Galilee  to  this 
place."  Galilee!  now  is  the  chance;  Christ  is  a  Galileean; 
He  remanded  Him  forthwith  to  the  Tetrarch  of  that 
country. 

This  prince's  suite  was  quartered  in  the  ancient  resi- 
dence of  the  Machabees.  Thither  the  legionaries  conducted 
Jesus,  surrounded  by  His  enemies.  We  shall  not  attempt 
to  follow  the  Saviour  over  this  portion  of  His  sorrowful 
journey.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  they  insulted  and  maltreated 
Him  in  every  conceivable  way. 


192      SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  PILATE  AND  HEROD 

Herod  at  first  treated  Jesus  with  some  show  of  respect 
and  plied  Him  with  questions  designed  to  make  Him  dis- 
play His  miraculous  powers.  But  He  who  had  only  words 
of  mercy  for  Pilate,  deigned  not  to  reply  a  word  to  Herod. 
And  this  silence  wounded  the  pride  of  the  Prince. 

Inclining  towards  the  skepticism  of  the  Sadducees, 
Herod  took  very  little  interest  in  religious  questions;  and 
further  by  condemning  Jesus  would  there  not  arise  a  popu- 
lar movement  in  his  favor?  At  any  rate  he  was  not 
going  to  endanger  his  own  comfort;  but  to  show  his  dis- 
dain and  derision  for  Christ,  he  ordered  Him  to  be  clothed 
in  a  white  robe,  the  garment  of  a  fool — whom  he  considered 
on  account  of  weakness  of  mind  incapable  of  crime.  Thus 
robed  he  remanded  Jesus  back  to  Pilate. 

Again  they  hurry  Jesus  along  the  road  to  Antoninia 
Attica  in  this  dress  of  a  buffoon.  Pilate  is  touched  with 
pity  at  the  sight  of  Christ  robed  and  he  addresses  the  San- 
hedrin  and  the  mob  in  these  words :  "You  have  brought 
this  man  before  me  and  accuse  Him  of  exciting  the  people, 
but  I,  after  having  examined  Him  before  you  find  nothing 
in  Him  touching  what  you  charge  Him  with.  And  in  like 
manner  Herod  to  whom  I  referred  you,  has  found  nothing 
in  Him  worthy  of  death."  The  mob  pressing  their  suit 
and  Pilate  yielding  to  weakness  added:  "I  will  chastise 
Him  therefore  and  let  Him  go."  But  this  did  not  satisfy 
them.  Another  expedient  suggested  itself.  In  this  day 
there  were  to  be  executed  two  notorious  traitors  and  crim- 
inals. Now  it  was  the  custom  during  the  morning  of  the 
Parasceve  for  the  Roman  Governor  to  grant  pardon  to  some 
criminal  designated  by  the  Jews.  Surely,  thought  Pilate, 
when  they  see  Barrabas  and  Jesus  and  are  asked  which 
they  wish  released,  they  will  with  one  accord  say  Jesus, 
as  Barrabas  was  such  a  notorious  criminal,  guilty  of  every 
crime. 

Ascending  the  steps  of  the  Tribunal  he  cried  out: 
"Whom  do  you  wish  me  to  deliver  to  you,  Barrabas  or 
Jesus,  who  is  called  the  Messiah?" 

At  this  moment  Claudia  Procula,  Pilate's  wife,  from 
her  apartments  in  the  fortress,  seeing  Jesus  encircled  by  the 
furious  mob  and  her  husband  half  prepared  to  condemn 


SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  PILATE  AND  HEROD      193 

Him,  sent  this  message  to  him :  "Let  there  be  nothing  be- 
tween you  and  that  just  man,  for  I  have  been  greatly  dis- 
tressed in  a  dream  this  day  because  of  Him." 

Claudia  Procula,  thy  name  shall  ever  be  held  in  loving 
remembrance  by  Christians  to  the  end  of  time!  You  alone 
of  all  that  crowd,  a  woman,  a  member  of  the  weaker  sex, 
when  Jesus  was  surrounded  by  those  inhuman  wretches — 
you  alone  came  to  His  defense — you  alone  had  the  courage 
and  justice  to  plead  the  cause  of  Jesus  Christ!  Woman, 
if  thy  name  be  frailty  thy  name  is  also  strength! 

"Do  you  wish  me  to  deliver  to  you  the  king  of  the 
Jews?"  demanded  Pilate  for  the  second  time.  "Rid  us  of 
Him  and  release  Barrabas,"  shouted  the  surging  multitude. 
"What  shall  I  then  do  with  Him  whom  you  call  king  of 
the  Jews?"  replied  the  governor.  Crucify  Him!  Crucify 
Him !  came  the  unanimous  response.  Handing  Him  over  to 
them  Pilate  washed  his  hands,  declaring  that  he  was  inno- 
cent of  the  blood  of  this  just  man. 

My  Brethren,  from  this  part  of  the  Passion  I  would 
draw  four  lessons:  First,  we  see  how  far  prejudice  can 
lead  us  from  the  path  of  truth  and  justice.  It  was  clear 
and  plain  to  any  ordinary  mind  that  Christ  was  guiltless. 
Yet  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  and  their  supporters 
despised  Christ  so  much  that  for  the  moment  they  half 
believed  Him  guilty  of  every  crime.  Our  judgments  are 
bent  this  or  that  way  by  our  feelings — our  likes  and  dis- 
likes. If  we  like  a  person,  if  he  be  pleasing  to  us  we  often 
times  see  no  faults  in  him  at  all.  He  is  perfect  and  fault- 
less. Whereas,  let  us  form  a  dislike  for  a  person,  and  even 
though  he  be  a  saint  we  can  see  no  good  in  him.  With 
the  same  person  onr  opinion  of  him  will  change  with  our 
feelings — today  he  is  full  of  faults  and  tomorrow  he  is 
perfect.  We  have  the  best  example  in  the  case  of  Christ. 
.  His  enemies  could  say  nothing  too  wicked  about  Him,  and 
yet  He  was  perfect,  never  even  giving  the  slightest  cause 
for  suspicion.  Let  us  then  postpone  our  judgment  of  peo- 
ple and  hold  our  tongues  until  they  become  more  pleasing, 
until  we  begin  to  look  upon  them  with  a  more  favorable 
eye. 


194      SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  PILATE  AND  HEROD 

The  Catholic  Church  is  the  representative  of  Christ — 
it  is  in  a  certain  sense  a  continuation  of  Christ.  You  heard 
the  charges  brought  against  Christ.  He  was  accused  of 
conspiracy  against  the  State.  He  was  accused  of  being  a 
traitor.  From  that  day  to  this  down  through  the  ages,  the 
Church  has  been  accused  of  conspiracy.  Her  children  are 
accused  of  treason.  This  will  be  the  lot  of  the  Church 
until  the  end  of  time.  We  may  say  that  it  is  another  mark 
of  the  true  Church.  As  the  worldly  minded  Jews  could 
not  understand  Christ,  so  neither  can  the  worldy  minded 
of  today  understand  the  Catholic  Church,  His  spouse  and 
representative. 

Pilate  was  given  sufficient  grace  to  make  a  Christian 
out  of  him.  Just  as  grace  was  touching  his  heart  he 
turned  away  from  it.  He  withdrew  himself  immediately 
from  the  presence  of  Christ,  lest  he  should  be  converted. 
We  oftentimes  imitate  Pilate.  Christ  touches  our  minds 
with  a  ray  of  His  heavenly  light  and  we  turn  our  gaze 
away  lest  we  be  truly  converted.  Pilate  was  afraid  of  be- 
ing converted,  so  we  also  are  afraid  of  becoming  saints. 

Christ  in  permitting  Himself  to  be  robed  in  the  gar- 
ment of  a  fool  teaches  us  how  little  attention  we  should 
pay  to  the  judgment  of  the  world.  If  we  are  right  in  the 
sight  of  God  what  care  we  for  man?  Man's  judgment  is 
fallible.  It  cannot  make  us  other  than  we  are.  Whereas, 
God's  judgment  is  a  true  measure  of  our  worth.  Many 
on  beholding  Christ  thus  clothed  took  Him  for  a  fool — 
Him  who  was  wisdom  itself! 


SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION. 
PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  in  Christ: — On  last  Thursday,  De- 
cember the  eighth,  all  over  the  world,  among  all  nations, 
races  and  people,  there  was  celebrated  the  principal  feast 
of  the  Mother  of  God.  From  the  rising  of  the  sun  unto  the 
going  down  thereof,  there  was  offered  up  by  the  priests  of 
the  New  Law  in  praise  and  thanksgiving,  the  clean  oblation 
spoken  of  by  Malachy  the  Prophet.  People  of  all  ages,  sex 
and  condition  innumerable,  knelt  at  the  foot  of  the  altar 
on  that  morning  and  received  the  Emmanuel,  the  Euchar- 
istic  God.  From  the  hearts  and  minds  of  nigh  three  hun- 
dred million  souls  there  went  up  to  the  high  throne  of  God, 
adoration,  love  and  praise.  The  Catholic  Church,  the 
Spouse  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  celebrating  the  Feast  of  the 
Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 

On  the  eighth  of  December,  fifty-six  years  ago  in  the 
Bull,  "Ineffabilis",  Pius  IX,  in  the  presence  of  over  two 
hundred  bishops,  assembled  from  all  parts  of  the  Catholic 
world,  in  virtue  of  his  office,  the  two  hundred  and  fifty- 
sixth  successor  of  St.  Peter,  to  whom  Christ  said: — "Thou 
art  Peter;  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church,  and 
the  gates  of  Hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it;"  "Feed  My 
lambs  *  *  *  feed  My  sheep;"  "I  have  prayed  that  thy  faith 
fail  thee  not,  and  thou,  being  once  converted,  confirm  thy 
brethren,"  solemnly  decreed: — "We  declare,  pronounce  and 
define  that  the  doctrine  which  holds  that  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary  was,  in  the  first  instant  of  her  conception,  by  a  singu- 
lar grace  and  privilege  of  Almighty  God,  in  virtue  of  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  human  race,  pre- 
served free  from  all  stain  of  original  sin,  is  revealed  by  God, 
and  on  that  account  is  to  be  firmly  and  constantly  believed 
by  all  the  faithful."  On  this  doctrine  I  wish  to  speak  this 
morning. 

My  Brethren,  I  believe  that  most  of  the  opposition  to 
this  doctrine  comes  from  a  misunderstanding  of  it,  and 

195 


190  SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION 

from  one  or  two  difficulties  arising  from  scripture  and  his- 
tory. I  believe  that  when  once  the  doctrine  is  correctly 
stated  and  grasped  and  these  difficulties  solved,  very  few 
sincere  and  docile  minds  will  reject  it;  for  it  is  a  truth 
founded  upon  scripture  and  confirmed  by  tradition,  is 
reasonable,  harmonizes  with  the  Plan  of  Redemption,  and 
cannot  but  bear  good  fruit.  Along  these  lines  let  us  con- 
sider it. 

Original  sin  may  be  considered  in  two  ways.  First,  we 
may  consider  the  sin  itself,  or  the  spiritual  stain,  which 
men  inherit  from  Adam,  and  in  which  they  are  conceived 
and  brought  forth  into  the  world.  Secondly,  we  may  con- 
sider the  debt  of  original  sin,  which  is  a  moral  necessity 
under  which  all  men,  as  children  of  Adam,  labor,  of  con- 
tracting the  stain  unless  God,  by  a  special  privilege,  pre- 
vents it  from  reaching  their  souls.  Now,  the  Catholic 
Church  teaches  that,  although  the  stain  of  original  sin 
never  touched  the  pure  soul  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
nevertheless,  she  contracted  the  debt;  and  that  as  a  child 
of  Adam  she  would  have  been  conceived  in  sin,  had  not  God 
by  a  singular  privilege,  in  the  first  instant  of  her  concep- 
tion made  an  exception  to  the  universal  law  and  prevented 
the  stain  of  original  sin  from  touching  and  soiling  her  soul. 
The  manner  of  the  redemption  may  likewise  be  considered 
in  two  ways.  First,  we  may  consider  its  fruits  and  merits 
as  being  applied  to  those  who  have  already  fallen  and  are 
contaminated  by  sin.  Secondly,  we  may  consider  its  fruits 
as  being  applied  to  those  who  are  about  to  fall  and  whose 
souls  will  become  infected  with  sin,  unless  they  partake  be- 
forehand of  its  fruits  and  merits.  Now,  the  Catholic  Church 
teaches  that  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  shared  in  the  fruits 
of  the  redemption  in  the  second  way; — which  is  the  more 
perfect,  exalted  and  noble.  The  words  of  Pius  IX  now  be- 
come clear: — "The  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  was  in  the  first 
instant  of  her  conception  by  a  singular  grace  and  privilege 
of  Almighty  God,  in  virtue  of  the  merits  of  Jesus  -Christ, 
the  Saviour  of  the  human  race,  preserved  free  from  all  stain 
of  original  sin." 

My  Brethren,  the  doctrine  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion is  pointed  out  in  the  very  beginning  of  revelation,  for 


SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION          197 

we  read  in  Genesis  III,  15: — "I  will  put  enmities  between 
thee  and  the  woman  and  thy  seed  and  her  seed;  she  shall 
crush  thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  lie  in  wait  for  her  heel." 
Here  the  inspired  writer  announces  the  coming  of  the  future 
Redeemer,  and  foretells  that  a  woman  will  be  born,  between 
whom  and  the  devil  there  will  be  an  irrevocable  and  per- 
petual conflict  and  enmity ;  and  that  the  woman  will  over- 
come the  devil  and  conquer  him.  Now,  the  Fathers  and 
commentators  understand  this  woman  to  be  no  other  than 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  spoken  of  by  Isaias  VII,  14 ;  "Be- 
hold a  virgin  shall  conceive  and  bear  a  son,  and  his  name 
shall  be  called  Emmanuel."  But,  if  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary  had  been  conceived  in  sin,  then  at  one  time  she  was 
under  the  power  of  the  devil,  and  the  conflict  and  enmity 
were  not  perpetual  and  irrevocable ;  and  it  could  not  be  said 
that  she  overcame  him  and  completely  conquered  him,  but 
rather  the  contradictory  and  the  opposite. 

In  the  Canticle  of  Canticles,  Christ,  through  the  in- 
spired Solomon  thus  praises  His  spouse: — "Thou  art  all 
fair,  O  my  love,  and  there  is  not  a  spot  in  thee."  St.  Al- 
phonsus  and  several  other  commentators  apply  these  words 
literally  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary.  But,  if  she  had  been 
conceived  in  sin  how  could  she  be  considered  "all  fair"? 
And  if  her  soul  had  been  stained  by  sin,  even  for  one 
moment,  would  not  those  words — "And  there  is  not  a  spot 
in  thee," — lose  much  of  their  significance?  No  doubt  Solo- 
mon had  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary  in  view,  when,  with  a  prophetical  eye,  he  beheld  her 
coming  forth,  adorned  with  the  most  precious  gifts  of  grace 
and  outshining  the  highest  angels  and  cherubim, — "Who 
is  she  that  cometh  forth  as  the  morning  rising,  fair  as  the 
moon,  bright  as  the  sun.  terrible  as  an  army  set  in  array?" 

In  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke,  1,  28,  we  read :— "Hail,  full 
of  grace  the  Lord  is  with  thee;  blessed  are  thou  amongst 
women."  Those  words  unmistakably  teach  us  that  the  soul 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  was  adorned  with  the  plenitude 
of  grace.  Moreover,  if  grace  did  not  exist  in  her  soul  from 
the  moment  of  her  conception,  could  that  truly  be  affirmed 
of  her?  We  therefore  conclude,  that  since  her  soul  was  full 


198          SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION 

of  grace,  possessing  the  plenitude  of  grace  she  did  not  con- 
%  tract  the  stain  of  original  sin,  but  was  conceived  immac- 
ulate. 

My  Brethren,  we  shall  now  turn  to  the  Fathers,  or 
those  early  Christian  writers  who  succeeded  the  Apostles 
in  the  teaching  office,  to  see  how  they  viewed  this  doctrine. 
It  is  true  they  did  not  use  the  words,  "Immaculate 
Conception",  for  they  were  not  writing  a  scientific  treatise 
on  it,  but  thej-  used  words  from  which  we  may  reasonably 
infer  the  doctrine.  Thus  some  of  the  Fathers  called  her  the 
"Most  pure  Virgin'',  "Entirely  Immaculate",  "Pure  at  all 
times  and  never  contaminated  by  sin" ;  others  called  her 
"Most  Holy",  "Most  Innocent",  "Holy  in  every  respect,"  and 
"Free  from  every  stain";  and  some  others  said  that  "She  was 
holier  than  the  saints",  "Purer  than  the  supernal  spirits", 
"The  only  holy  one",  "The  only  innocent  one",  "The  immac- 
ulate one",  "The  only  uncontaminated  one",  "The  one  alone 
blessed  in  every  respect".  That  is  the  substance  of  their 
testimony  in  her  regard,  but  I  shall  quote  one  or  two  in 
particular.  St.  Andrew,  the  Apostle,  before  the  Proconsul 
Egeus,  thus  speaks: — "And  because  the  first  man  was 
created  of  immaculate  earth,  it  was  necessary  that  the  Per- 
fect Man  should  be  born  of  an  Immaculate  Virgin,  through 
whose  means  the  Son  of  God,  Who  had  before  created  man, 
might  repair  that  eternal  life,  which  had  been  lost  through 
Adam."  St.  Dionysius,  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  and  one 
of  the  most  renowned  doctors  of  the  Third  Century,  says : — 
"That  the  only  begotten  God,  the  Word,  descended  from 
heaven  and  was  born  in  the  womb,  and  came  forth  from  the 
Virgitial  Paradise."  St.  Ephraen  of  the  Fourth  Century, 
styled  by  his  countrymen  the  "Harp  of  the  Holy  Ghost",  in 
a  prayer  to  the  Blessed  Mother  of  God,  calls  her  "Immacu- 
late and  iincontaminated,  incorrupt  and  thoroughly  chaste, 
and  a  virgin  most  estranged  from  every  soil  and  stain  of 
sin  »  »  *  inviolate  integral  *  *  *  most  immaculate,  most  pure 
*  *  *  absolutely  immaculate"  And  St.  Augustine,  of  the 
Fifth  Century,  refuting  Pelagius,  who  had  said  that  a  con- 
siderable number  of  persons  had  lived  on  earth  absolutely 
without  sin,  replied,  that  all  the  just  had  truly  known  sin, 
"except",  says  he,  "the  Holy  Virgin  Mary,  of  whom,  for  the 


SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION          199 

£te? 

honor  of  the  Lord  /  will  have  no  question  wliatever,  when 
sin  is  concerned." 

But  may  not  the  scriptural  objection  of  the  universality 
of  sin  and  redemption,  be  validly  urged  against  the  doctrine 
of  the  Immaculate  Conception?  In  other  words,  does  not 
scripture  teach  that  all  men  sinned  in  Adam,  and  conse- 
quently stand  in  need  of  redemption  ?  We  have  already  laid 
down  the  principles  by  which  these  difficulties  may  be 
solved.  We  admit  that  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  sinned  in 
Adam  in  the  sense  that  she  contracted  the  debt  of  original 
sin,  but  not  the  actual  stain.  Moreover,  a  universal  law  may 
suffer  an  exception  without  its  universality  being  thus  im- 
paired. Are  not  miracles  exceptions  to  the  laws  of  nature 
which  are  universal?  And  no  Christian  will  deny  their 
existence.  We  have  an  example  of  an  exception  to  a  uni- 
versal law  in  the  Book  of  Esther,  XV,  13,  where  King 
Assuerus  says  to  Esther: — "Thou  shalt  not  die;  for  this  law 
is  not  made  for  thee,  but  for  all  others." 

The  doctrine  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  does  not 
deny  the  necessity  of  the  redemption  for  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary,  but  on  the  contrary,  asserts  that  she  stood  in  need  of 
the  redemption;  not  indeed,  reparative,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
rest  of  the  children  of  Adam,  but  preservative,  as  Pius  IX 
teaches  in  the  Decree: — "In  virtue  of  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  human  race,  she  was  preserved 
free  from  all  stain  of  original  sin." 

May  it  not  also  be  objected  to  the  doctrine  that  it  was 
not  made  an  article  of  faith  until  the  year  1854?  In  answer 
we  say,  that  the  doctrine  was  always  an  article  of  divine 
faith.  But  like  several  other  truths  of  revelation,  it  was 
only  after  it  had  been  attacked  and  called  into  question  that 
the  Church  denned  it  as  a  dogma  of  Catholic  faith.  Thus 
for  example  we  find  the  same  thing  to  have  occurred  in  the 
Christian  doctrines  of  the  Divinity  and  Humanity  of  Jesus 
Christ.  These  doctrines  were  the  fundamentals  of  Chris- 
tianity and  were  taught  and  believed  from  the  time  of 
Christ  and  His  Apostles.  But  not  until  Arius  denied  the 
Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ  in  teaching  that  the  ''Son  of  God 
was  a  creature"  did  the  Council  of  Nice  in  the  year  325 
make  it  a  dogma  of  Catholic  faith  by  proclaiming  the  "Con- 


200          SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION 

substantiality  of  the  Father  and  the  Son";  and  not  until 
Eutych.es  denied  the  Humanity  of  Jesus  Christ  in  teaching 
"That  the  human  nature  of  Christ  was  entirely  absorbed  in 
the  Divine",  did  the  Council  of  Chalcedon  in  the  year  451, 
make  it  a  dogma -of  Catholic  faith  by  proclaiming  that  there 
"are  two  natures  in  Christ — one  the  Divine,  the  other 
Human — without  mixture  or  alteration  united  in  one  person 
and  hypostasis."  The  doctrine  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion had  not  been  questioned  until  the  XII  Century,  and 
we  find  the  Council  of  Trent  which  was  convened  in  the 
year  1545,  three  hundred  years  before  the  definition  of  the 
Immaculate  Conception  by  Pius  IX  decreeing: — "This  holy 
synod  declares  that  when  it  is  a  question  of  original  sin,  it 
does  not  include  in  the  decree,  the  Blessed  and  Immaculate 
Virgin  Mary,  the  Mother  of  God." 

My  Brethren,  if  Almighty  God  commanded  such  purity 
in  the  building  of  the  Temple  of  Jerusalem — purity  in  the 
material  and  purity  in  the  workmen ;  and  if  He  commanded 
after  it  had  been  finished,  that  it  must  be  sanctified  by 
special  consecrations,  rites  and  ceremonies,  because  it  was 
to  contain  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant:  how  then  should  not 
the  Almighty  God  have  prepared  the  Virgin  Mary  in  the 
way  of  spiritual  adornment,  grace  and  purity  whose  chaste 
womb  was  to  be  His  living  tabernacle,  and  from  whose  pure 
flesh  He  was  to  derive  His  most  holy  body? 

All  who  believe  in  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ  must 
admit  that  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  is  the  Mother  of  God. 
Now,  was  it  not  most  becoming  that  God  should  do  whatever 
was  possible  to  make  her  fit  and  worthy  for  that  highest  and 
sublimest  of  all  dignities?  And  was  it  not  most  congruous 
and  within  the  power  of  God  to  prevent  original  sin  from 
staining  her  soul  even  for  one  moment?  Did  not  God  sanc- 
tify John  the  Baptist  in  his  mother's  womb  because  he  was 
to  herald  the  Christ? 

If  the  glory  of  sons  redounds  unto  the  glory  of  the 
parents,  the  ignominy  of  the  mother  must  redound  unto  the 
ignominy  of  the  son.  Filial  piety  therefore,  demands  that 
the  sons  remove,  yes,  prevent  as  far  as  possible  any  igno- 
miny or  disgrace  from  staining  the  character  of  their  parents. 
And  Hiirely  no  one  will  deny  that  if  Christ  permitted  orig- 


SERMON  ON  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION          201 

inal  sin  to  touch  the  soul  of  His  Mother,  He  did  allow  her 
to  suffer  some  ignominy  and  disgrace. 

The  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  as  the  Mother  of  the  Redeemer 
cooperated  in  our  redemption.  For  upon  her  free  consent 
depended  the  Incarnation  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  by  wil- 
lingly consenting  to  become  the  Mother  of  the  Redeemer, 
the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  became,  in  a  certain  sense  our 
co-redeemer.  Moreover,  this  title  is  strengthened  by  the  fact 
that  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  was  shed  on  Calvary's 
heights  for  our  sins,  came  from  the  body  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  Mary.  Although  He  was  miraculously  conceived  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  He  lay  in  her  chaste  womb 
for  nine  months,  and  there  His  body  grew,  developed  and 
matured.  Therefore,  such  cooperation  in  our  redemption 
required  the  highest  degree  of  sanctiflcation ;  and  by  all 
means  required  freedom  from  any  stain  which  the  Redeemer 
of  the  world  intended  to  take  away  by  His  suffering  and 
death. 

In  conclusion,  my  dear  brethren  in  Christ,  let  us,  whilst 
we  are  still  within  the  octave  of  the  Immaculate  Conception, 
renew  our  faith  in  this  great  truth  of  revelation !  Let  us 
adore  the  designs  of  the  Almighty  in  this  mystery!  Let  us 
thank  Him  for  having  raised  to  such  a  high  pinnacle  of 
honor  and  glory,  a  creature  like  ourselves !  Let  us  praise 
Him  for  having  made  this  exception  to  the  universal  ship- 
wreck of  sin  for  our  humiliation  and  exaltation !  Let  us 
renew  our  confidence  in  the  intercessory  power  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary!  The  Immaculate  Conception  is  the 
foundation  of  her  glory  and  power.  When  tempted,  let  us 
invoke  her  aid  under  the  title  of  the  Immaculate  Virgin! 
And  especially  let  us  invoke  her  under  this  title  when  the 
demon  of  impurity  assaults  us!  For,  as  some  of  the  saints 
tell  us,  many  souls,  to  their  own  knowledge,  when  tempted 
against  the  flesh,  received,  much  relief  by  invoking  the  Bles- 
sed Virgin  under  the  title  of  her  spotless  conception  and 
virginal  purity. 


SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  ANNAS  AND 
CAIPHAS. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — From  Gethsemaui  there  is  a  road 
which  leads  up  to  Jerusalem.  It  crosses  the  Brook  of  Ked- 
ron,  winds  its  way  among  the  tombs  at  the  foot  of  Mount 
Moriah,  runs  up  the  steep  side  of  Mount  Ophel  and  leads 
into  the  City  of  Jerusalem  by  the  southern  gates.  Over  this 
road  the  mob  dragged  Jesus. 

Although  Caiphas  was  the  High  Priest,  Annas,  his 
father-in-law,  held  the  reins  of.  government  and  was  still 
considered  the  legitimate  pontiff  by  his  countrymen.  Into 
the  presence  of  Annas,  Christ  was  first  led.  He  is  ques- 
tioned concerning  His  disciples  and  His  doctrine.  What  a 
deep  laid  plot !  The  main  object  of  the  High  Priest  was  not  to 
give  judgment  on  a  system  of  teaching,  but  to  try  to  bolster 
up  and  discover  a  conspiracy.  It  was  for  this  reason  that 
he  asked  Christ  about  his  disciples,  from  whom  he  expected 
to  extort  a  confession.  But  it  was  not  meet  that  the  Christ 
should  assume  the  role  of  a  conspirator  before  the  world. 
And  without  making  any  answer  concerning  His  disciples 
Christ  rose  to  a  plane  of  thought  of  which  Annas  had  lit- 
tle conception.  "I  have  spoken  publicly,"  He  said,  "I  have 
taught  in  the  Synagogues  and  in  the  Temple  whither  the  Jews 
resort;  and  I  have  said  nothing  in  private.  Why  question 
Me?  Ask  those  who  have  heard  Me  as  to  what  I  have  said 
to  them.  They  know  what  I  have  taught  them." 

These  last  words  of  Christ  amounted  to  a  refusal  to 
justify  Himself.  And  one  of  the  officers  of  Annas  com- 
prehending this,  and  seeing  the  chagrin  of  the  High  Priest, 
drew  back  his  hand  and  struck  Christ  in  the  face,  saying 
at  the  same  time:  "Is  that  the  way  you  answer  the  High 
Priest?"  Meekly  Jesus  responded,  "If  I  have  spoken  evil 
show  what  evil  I  have  said;  but  if  I  have  spoken  well  why 
do  you  strike  me?" 

202 


SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  ANNAS  AND  CAIPHAS      203 

Unable  then  to  contend  with  the  Christ,  Annas  at  once 
dispatched  Him,  bound  to  Caiphas  not  so  much  to  be  ex- 
amined, as  to  be  condemned.  But  this  was  superfluous  for 
Caiphas  had  already  said :  uls  it  not  right  that  one  man 
should  die  for  the  whole  people?" 

Jesus  is  introduced  into  the  presence  of  the  Sanhedrim, 
over  which  Caiphas  is  presiding.  He  is  seated  upon  a  plat- 
form and  around  him  in  a  semi-circle,  reclining  upon  couches, 
are  the  judges.  The  two  secretaries  are  present.  The  one 
to  record  whatever  is  said  in  favor  of  the  accused  and  the 
other  to  record  what  is  said  against  Him.  And  it  was  the 
law  in  a  capital  offense  that  everything  in  favor  of  the  ac- 
cused should  be  taken  down  first.  But  the  law  was  disre- 
garded in  Christ's  case;  neither  was  a  single  witness  there 
for  the  defense.  It  was  a  mock  trial !  The  Sanhedrim  had 
suborned  witnesses  who  asserted  that  they  had  heard  Him 
uttering  scandalous  things.  But  their  depositions  were 
contradictory.  At  least  two  testified  that  they  had  heard 
Him  say:  "I  am  to  destroy  the  temple  of  God,  and  in  three 
days  to  rebuild  it."  Even  on  this  point  their  testimony 
did  not  agree.  The  prosecution  is  falling  to  the  ground. 
Jesus  remained  silent  all  the  while,  allowing  the  confusion 
to  have  full  sway.  Caiphas  perceives  this;  and  turning 
around  to  Jesus,  he  said  sharply:  "You  answer  nothing. 
What  is  all  this  they  are  testifying  against  you?"  Still 
Christ  remained  silent.  "I  adjure  you  in  the  name  of  the 
living  God  to  tell  us  if  you  are  the  Son  of  God,"  demanded 
Caiphas.  al  am,"  replied  Jesus.  "Moreover  I  say  unto  you, 
one  day  you  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  seated  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Majesty  of  God  coming  fn  the  clouds  of 
Heaven."  Caiphas  rends  his  garments.  "What  further 
need  have  we  of  witnesses,  you  have  heard  the  blasphemy. 
How  seems  this  matter  unto  you!"  "He  is  worthy  of 
death,"  they  all  shouted.  And  now  began  another  series 
of  diabolical  outrages.  These  judges  walk  up  to  Jesus  and 
spit  full  in  His  face,  and  then  with  the  flat  of  their  hands 
strike  Him  across  the  face,  saying  in  derision  and  mockery : 
"Christ,  prophesy  who  struck  you?"  What  an  outrage! 
These  judges  of  Israel  in  their  ermine  and  cap,  rise  from 
their  judgment  seat  to  come  forward — for  what?  To  ad- 


204      SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  ANNAS  AND  CAIPHAS 

minister  justice?  No;  they  come  forward  and  wickedly  and 
maliciously  spit  in  Christ's  face,  then  strike  Him  again  and 
again,  and  to  consummate  the  insult  and  ignominy  ask  Him, 
as  if  He  were  a  fool,  "Prophesy  who  struck  you?"  And 
when  their  fury  had  spent  itself  they  handed  Him  over  to 
the  servants  of  the  court,  who  received  Him  with  a  shower 
of  blows  and  drove  Him  before  them,  maltreating  Him  in 
every  way. 

My  Brethren : — During  this  same  night  there  happened 
what  had  been  foretold: — "Before  the  cock  crows  twice, 
thou  shalt  deny  Me  thrice."  Two  of  His  disciples,  Peter 
and  John,  had  retraced  their  steps  and  started  to  overtake 
Christ  and  the  rabble.  Peter  lingers  at  a  distance,  but 
John  soon*reached  his  beloved  master  and  the  armed  troops. 
He  was  ready  now  to  expose  himself  to  all  kinds  of  perils 
for  the  sake  of  Christ.  He  enters  the  gate;  but  not  finding 
Peter  he  goes  back  in  search  of  him.  But  just  as  Peter  comes 
under  the  door,  the  portress  recognizes  him  and  sharply 
asks:  "Are  not  you  too  one  of  this  man's  disciples?"  "No, 
I  am  not,"  came  quickly  the  response,  and  then  he  hurried 
to  the  lower  court  where  the  soldiers  had  kindled  a  fire. 
Seated  in  this  circle,  warming  his  trembling  hands,  the 
keen  eye  of  the  portress  again  recognizes  him:  "Certainly 
you  were  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  said  she.  "I  do  not 
know  what  you  seem  to  assert,"  cried  Peter.  But  she  per- 
sisted, saying  to  the  rest  of  the  crowd:  "Certainly  I  know 
he  was  with  him."  "Woman,"  retorted  Peter  "I  do  not 
even  know  Him."  Then  with  a  troubled  mind  Peter  walked 
away;  and  at  that  moment  the  cock  crowed. 

Another  maid  recognizes  him  and  she  too  said:  "This 
man  was  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth,"  and  Peter  denied  it  with 
an  oath.  The  portress  follows  him  up.  "Surely,"  she  said, 
"this  is  one  of  them."  Again  he  denies  it.  One  of  the  spec- 
tators now  speaks:  "What!  are  not  you  one  of  that  set 
yonder?"  "Man",  retorted  Peter,  "I  am  not  one  of  them." 
Driven  back  he  returns  to  his  former  place;  and  some  one 
here  says :  "You  too  are  one  of  His  disciples."  "No,  I  am 
not,"  answered  Peter.  "Certainly  you  are  one  of  His  dis- 
ciples, for  your  accent  betrays  you."  "You  are  a  Galilean" 


SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  ANNAS  AND  CAIPHAS      205 

exclaimed  the  crowd.  And  a  kinsman  of  Malchus  added: 
"Did  I  not  see  you  in  the  garden  with  Him?"  "I  do  not 
know  what  you  are  talking  about,  I  do  not  know  this  man 
of  whom  you  speak;"  and  with  a  string  of  oaths  and  curses 
he  was  still  protesting  when  the  cock  crew  the  second 
time.  It  was  then  that  Jesus  turned  and  looked  at  him. 
That  look  melted  his  heart.  He  remembered  now  what  the 
Master  had  said:  "Before  the  cock  crows  twice,  thou  shalt 
deny  Me  thrice."  Overwhelmed  with  despair  he  rushes 
through  the  crowd,  out  of  the  palace,  and  gives  vent 
to  his  great  grief,  shedding  copious  tears. 

O  Peter !  what  sorrow  thou  didst  cause  thy  Master,  Him 
who  had  called  thee  to  the  apostleship;  Him  in  whose  com- 
pany thou  hadst  been  for  three  years  traveling  up  and  down 
the  country  of  Judea,  partaking  of  the  same  sorrows  and 
the  same  joys ;  Him  who  had  imparted  to  thee  even  divine 
secrets;  Him  who  had  washed  with  His  own  divine  hands, 
thy  feet;  Him  who  had  made  thee  a  judge  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel;  Him  who  had  fed  thee  with  His  own 
body  and  blood;  O  Him!  thou  deniest  not  only  once,  but 
several  times  with  oaths  and  curses ! 

How  this  act  of  treason  must  have  wounded  the  heart 
of  Him  who  was  all  sympathy,  sincerity  and  devotion !  But 
Peter,  this  was  providential.  Thou  who  wast  to  be  the 
foundation  stone  of  the  Church  must  be  taught  humility; 
and  thy  faith  must  be  strengthened,  for  thou  art  to  feed,  not 
only  the  lambs,  but  the  sheep;  thou  art  to  confirm  the 
faith  of  all  the  brethren. 

Christ  is  led  again  before  the  Sanhedrim;  and  he  con- 
fesses that  He  is  the  Son  of  God.  He  is  bound  more  closely 
and  hurried  away  to  the  Praetorium.  where  He  faces  Pilate 
the  Roman  Governor  of  Judea. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — In  Chrisfs  answer  to  Annas  who 
questioned  Him  about  His  disciples  we  have  the  pru- 
dence of  the  serpent  and  the  simplicity  of  the  dove.  Al- 
though God,  Christ  made  use  of  human  means;  He  turns 
the  question.  If  He  had  answered  right  out  about  the  dis- 
ciples, He  would  not  have  defeated  the  purpose  of  Annas. 
But  He  turns  the  inquiry  simply  upon  His  doctrines: — "I 
have  taught  always  in  the  synagogues  and  the  temple 


206      SERMON  ON  CHRIST  BEFORE  ANNAS  AND  CAIPHAS 

whither  the  Jews  resort ;  and  I  have  said  nothing  in  private. 
Why  question  me?  Ask  those  who  have  heard  me,  as  to 
what  I  have  said  to  them." 

Let  us  too  imitate  this  great  prudence  of  Christ  in 
dealing  with  the  enemies  of  our  holy  religion. 

My  Brethren: — Behold  the  meekness  of  Christ!  When 
He  is  struck  in  the  face  by  this  ruffian,  instead  of  hurling 
the  wretch  into  space  He  condescends  to  reprimand  him 
kindly :  "If  I  have  spoken  evil  show  what  evil  I  have  said ; 
but  if  I  have  spoken  well  why  do  you  strike  Me?" 

What  a  lesson  for  us !  Truly  he  could  say,  learn  of  Me 
because  I  am  meek  and  humble  of  heart.  Let  us  try,  and 
especially  during  this  season  of  Lent,  to  bear  all  insults 
meekly  in  imitation  of  our  divine  model,  Jesus  Christ. 

My  Brethren : — Although  Christ  knew  that  His  confes- 
sion would  lead  to  His  crucifixion,  He  hesitated  not, 
but  boldly  replied  when  asked  if  He  were  the  Son  of  God, 
"I  am,"  and  He  continued  the  confession  and  added,  "More- 
over one  day  you  shall  see  the  Son  of  Man  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  majesty  of  God,  and  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  Heaven."  When  we  are  questioned  regarding  our  catho- 
licity, cost  what  it  may,  let  us  imitate  Christ  in  His  bold 
confession.  If  we  deny  Him  before  men,  He  will  deny  us 
before  His  Heavenly  Father. 

My  Brethren: — Christ  endured  those  blows  across  His 
face  to  repair  the  sins  of  our  malicious  tongues.  When  we 
are  tempted  to  calumminate  our  neighbor  let  us  picture  to 
ourselves  Christ  receiving  those  blows  for  these  very  sins. 
And  finally,  my  brethren,  if  Peter  had  prayer  instead  of  sleep- 
ing in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemani  he  would  not  have  denied 
Christ.  What  a  lesson  for  us!  Let  us  always  be  vigilant, 
never  slothful ! 


SERMON  ON  THE  CONDEMNATION  OF  CHEIST. 
PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren :— After  Pilate  had  washed  his 
hands  and  declared  that  he  was  innocent  of  the  blood  of 
Christ,  he  handed  Him  over  to  the  Jews,  and  said:  "Now 
then,  it  is  your  concern!"  Whereupon  all  the  people 
shouted :  "His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  children.'" 
Then  began  the  scourging. 

Jesus  is  stripped  of  His  garments  and  is  bound  to  a 
low  column,  so  that  His  back  will  receive  the  full  force  of 
the  blows.  Roman  soldiers,  selected  for  their  strength  and 
endurance,  come  forth  with  leathern  thongs,  armed  with  balls 
of  lead.  Up  go  their  lusty  arms  high  in  the  air  over  the 
bended  form  of  Christ,  and  they  bring  them  down  with  all 
their  force  upon  the  bare  tiesh  of  Christ !  The  skin  ris?s  in 
rugged  furrows  and  the  blood  gushes  forth !  But  the  blows 
are  not  limited ;  so  up  again  their  arms  go  and  they  tear  and 
rend  and  lacerate  that  sacred  body!  They  continue  their 
scourging  until  overcome  by  fatigue;  and  Christ  stands  all 
bruised  and  mangled — stands  there  with  the  blood  rushing 
from  the  wounds  and  trickling  down  to  His  feet,  until  it 
was  almost  literally  true  that  He  stood  ankle  deep  in  His 
own  blood ! 

A  red  mantle  is  now  thrown  over  His  shoulders  and  He 
is  made  to  mount  a  throne.  A  crown  of  thorns  is  woven 
and  placed  on  His  head,  and  a  reed  is  put  into  His  hands. 
In  this  attitude  of  a  mock  king  they  pass  before  Him  and 
salute  Him  as  "King  of  the  Jews,"  at  the  same  time  strik- 
ing Him  and  spitting  in  His  face. 

During  this  series  of  outrages  the  reed  slips  from  His 
hands  as  He  was  still  bound  tightly.  They  seize  it,  and  with 
it  strike  Him  over  the  head  until  the  crown  of  thorns  is 
driven  fast  into  His  sacred  brow. 

Pilate  now  appears  upon  the  square  of  Gabbatha  and 
says:  "Behold  I  bring  Him  out  hither  to  you,  that  so  you 
may  know  that  I  find  no  crime  in  Him/'  Jesus  thereupon 

207 


208         SERMON  ON  THE  CONDEMNATION  OP  CHRIST 

comes  forward  with  the  crown  of  thorns  upon  His  head 
and  the  red  robe  hanging  about  His  blood-stained  body,  and 
in  this  pitiful,  heart-rending  condition  is  made  to  mount  the 
steps  of  the  Tribunal. 

"Behold  the  man,"  cried  Pilate  to  the  throng.  But 
like  ferocious  beasts  at  the  sight  of  Christ's  blood,  they 
cry  out:  "Crucify  Him!  Crucify  Him!" 

Their  cruelty  stirred  up  Pilate's  indignation,  and  he 
now  had  a  mind  to  save  Jesus. 

"Take  Him  and  crucify  Him;  for  I  find  no  cause  of 
death  in  Him."  The  Jews  could  not  construe  this  as  a  per- 
mission to  do  what  they  pleased  with  Christ,  and  seeing 
that  their  accusations  were  of  no  avail,  they  unmasked  the 
real  reason  of  their  relentless  hatred  of  Jesus: — "We  have 
a  law,"  they  said,  "and  according  to  that  law  He  ought  to 
die;  because  He  made  Himself  the  Son  of  God." 
"Son  of  God!"  "Son  of  God!"  These  words  startle 
Pilate.  This  man  whom  the  soldiers  had  so  disfigured  with 
their  heavy  stripes,  might  perhaps  be  more  than  a  king. 
His  calm  bearing  amid  the  brutality  of  His  torturers,  the 
story  of  the  soldiers — how  last  night  they  had  been  flung 
down  to  the  earth  at  His  word, — and  the  vision  of  his  wife 
— all  these  things  come  crowding  back  upon  his  mind  and 
make  him  ponder  more  and  more  those  words, — "Son  of 
God!"  . 

"What  did  they  mean  by  this?"  "Son  of  God?"  "Whence 
came  He?"  More  troubled  than  ever  he  bade  them  bring 
back  the  Saviour;  and  when  alone  face  to  face  with  Him, 
he  said: — "Whence  are  you?"  Christ  made  no  reply. 
"What!"  exclaimed  the  Governor,  "do  you  not  speak  to  me? 
Do  you  not  know  that  I  have  both  power  to  crucify  you  and 
the  power  to  break  your  bonds  asunder?"  "You  should 
have  no  power  over  Me  if  it  were  not  given  you  from  above." 

Yielding  finally  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  Pilate  de- 
termines to  release  Jesus,  and  as  he  again  steps  forth  from 
the  Praetorium  he  is  greeted  with  the  cry: — "If  you  release 
this  man  you  are  no  friend  of  Caesar;  whoever  makes  him- 
self a  king,  is  Caesar's  enemy." 

Straightway  losing  sight  of  Jesus,  his  mind  pictures 
only  that  suspicious  master  of  the  world,  who  from  the 


SERMON  ON  THE  CONDEMNATION  OF  CHRIST         209 

rocky  heights  of  Caprea  made  the  earth  tremble.  He  sees 
in  imagination  the  Jews  summoning  him  before  this  inexo- 
rable judge  and  bringing  against  him  the  charge  of  treason ; 
and  he  hears  the  sentence ;  exile  and  death !  He  could  make 
no  stand  against  these  phantoms  of  the  brain,  and  fear  and 
dread  of  the  future  overmastered  every  other  feeling,  and 
he  commanded  that  Jesus  be  brought  out.  and  he  himself 
ascends  the  judgment  seat. 

It  was  the  eve  of  the  Pasch,  and  the  Jews  were  surging 
wildly  about  the  high  tribunal,  where  Pilate  strove  still  to 
command  respect  by  veiling  his  terrors  under  a  semblance 
of  haughty  contempt. 

"This,  then  is  your  king?"  he  began  again.  But  his 
voice  was  drowned  by  the  cries  of  the  multitude.  "Away 
with-  Him !  Away  with  Him  !  Crucify  Him  !  Crucify  Him  !" 

"This  is  then  your  king;  shall  I  crucify  your  king?" 
"We  have  no  king  but  Caesar"  shouted  the  priests. 

Vanquished  at  last,  Jesus  is  delivered  into  their  hands, 
and  then  began  the  preparation  for  the  journey  towards 
Calvary  where  Christ  is  to  be  nailed  to  the  Cross,  and  after 
three  hours  agony  to  die  on  it  between  two  thieves. 

My  Brethren,  you  heard  that  terrible  imprecation  of 
the  Jews,  "Let  His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  chil- 
dren." Little  did  they  know  the  awful  malice  of  those 
words.  They  wished  the  blood  of  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  to 
be  upon  them  and  their  children.  And  that  blood  has  been 
upon  them.  For  eighteen  hundred  years  they  have  had  no 
country;  they  have  been  outcasts  among  the  nations;  aliens 
everywhere.  Each  nation  in  its  turn  has  persecuted  them. 
Not  only  'in  the  temporal  but  in  the  spiritual  order,  Christ's 
blood  has  been  upon  them.  Few  indeed  have  been  the  con- 
versions to  Christianity  among  the  Jews.  Their  hopes  and 
aspirations,  ever  since  have  been  earthly,  of  the  earth.  But 
in  the  end  a  remnant  of  them  shall  be  saved.  A  fact  like 
this  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  It  is  inscrutable.  We 
must  too  bow  in  faith  to  it  and  learn  a  great  lesson. 
And  that  lesson  is  to  be  careful,  exceedingly  careful  not  to 
imprecate  evil  upon  ourselves  or  those  related  to  us  by  ties 
of  blood;  for  fear  the  Lord  as  He  did  in  the  case  of  the 
Jews  take  us  at  our  word  and  wreak  vengeance  upon  us. 


210         SERMON  ON  THE  CONDEMNATION  OF  CHRIST 

In  the  stripping  Jesus  of  His  garments  let  us  behold 
Christ  atoning  for  all  immodesty  in  dress.  Christ  was  the 
God  of  all  purity,  and  to  appear  there  stripped  to  the  loins  of 
His  clothes,  to  appear  there  half  naked  to  the  gaze  of  the 
vulgar  crowd,  caused  Jesus  Christ  the  greatest  mental  pain. 
Every  time  we  dress  immodestly  or  look  immodestly  we 
have  added  to  the  suffering  of  Christ  during  those  moments. 

It  is  related  of  the  mother  of  the  great  Theodoret  of 
the  Fifth  Century  that  she  was  afflicted  with  a  complaint 
in  one  of  her  eyes  for  which  medicine  could  do  nothing.  At 
that  time  there  lived  near  Antioch,  a  holy  solitary  by  the 
name  of  Peter.  He  had  cured  the  eyes  of  a  great  personage, 
the  wife  of  the  prefect  of  the  East.  To  him  the  mother  of 
Theodoret  went  for  a  cure ;  but  she  did  not  discard  her  jew- 
els and  other  accessories  of  fashion.  Coming  into  the  pres- 
ence of  the  holy  recluse  he  beheld  the  paint  upon  her  cheeks 
and  not  the  malady  in  her  eye,  and  he  said  to  her :  "God  made 
you  what  you  are  and  you  think  to  improve  upon  His  work. 
He  has  given  to  your  countenance  a  natural  red  and  white, 
and  you  proceed  to  daub  with  pigments,  the  lineaments  and 
tints  traced  and  spread  out  by  a  Divine  Master.  Do  you  think 
a  human  artist  would  be  pleased,  if  some  rude  sign  painter 
took  on  himself  to  restore  and  furbish  up  his  masterpieces; 
yet  you  profane  God's  handiwork,  nay,  His  very  image,  by 
adding  to  it  an  adulterous  beauty.  I  say  adulterous,  for 
why  do  you  paint  your  face  except  to  draw  upon  you  the 
eyes  of  men?"  She  received  the  rebuke  as  a  religious  wo- 
man. Then  he  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  her  and  she 
returned  home  healed  in  body  and  soul,  and  as  time  went 
on  gave  herself  up  to  an  ascetic  life.  Women,  remember  those 
words  whenever  you  are  tempted  to  dress  too  extravagantly, 
or  in  the  least  unbecoming  to  modesty — or  use  cosmetics. 
"Why  do  you  thus  dress,  thus  paint,  except  to  draw  upon 
you  the  eyes  of  men?" 

Christ  endured  this  terrible  scourging  in  the  courtyard 
— bared  His  back  to  the  lusty  blows  of  those  Roman  sol- 
diers— stood  there  bent  low  and  received  the  stripes  from 
those  leathern  thongs,  arnied  with  balls  of  lead  on  His  ten- 
der sacred  flesh,  until  it  was  all  bruised  and  lacerated  and 
torn,  to  alone  for  our  sins  of  sensualitv,  and  for  all  the  sins 


SERMON  ox  THE  CONDEMNATION  OF  CHRIST         211 

of  the  flesh — Remember  this  all  you  who  indulge  the  flesh  in 
any  way,  and  especially  you  men  who  by  sins  of  the  flesh  have 
heaped  blow  after  blow  upon  your  innocent  Saviour. 

In  the  crowning  of  Christ  with  thorns,  the  placing  of 
the  reed  in  His  hand,  robing  Him  in  a  red  mantle,  compell- 
ing Him  to  mount  the  rostrum  and  in  their  passing  to  and 
fro  and  saluting  Him,  "Hail,  King  of  the  Jews,"  we  have 
Christ  atoning  for  our  sins  of  pride,  for  our  sins  of  ridicule 
and  scorn  and  mockery.  Every  time  we  are  tempted  to  sin 
in  any  of  these  ways  let  us  recall  to  our  minds  this  picture 
of  Christ 

"Ecce  Homo"! — "Behold  the  man";  those  were  Pilate's 
words  when  he  presented  Christ  to  the  multitude  to  excite 
and  arouse  their  sympathies.  Our  tender  mother,  the  Church, 
presents  to  us  in  picture,  Christ  with  the  crown  of  thorns 
upon  His  head  and  cries  out  in  the  same  words,  "Ecce 
Homo",  "Behold  the  Man",  to  excite  our  sympathy  and  love 
for  Jesus  Christ,  our  Saviour.  Let  us  repeat  often  those 
words,  "Ecce  Homo",  and  try  to  realize  that  we  by  our  sins 
helped  to  place  Christ  in  such  a  pitiful  plight.  And  finally 
let  us  see  in  Pilate's  weakness  our  weakness.  Pilate  knew 
that  Christ  was  innocent,  yet  through  fear  of  the  mighty 
Caesar,  he  handed  Him  over  to  His  enemies.  How  many 
times  do  we  not  act  likewise?  For  fear  of  the  world  we 
give  up  Christ,  we  hand  Him  over  anew  to  His  enemies. 
Let  us  resolve  tonight  never  to  betray  Christ.  Why  fear 
the  world?  Christ  has  overcome  it.  It  cannot  harm  the 
soul.  It  can  harm  the  body  too,  only  in  so  far  as  Christ 
permits.  Let  us  rather  fear  Him  with  all  our  hearts.  Who 
can  destroy  both  body  and  soul  in  Hell! 


SERMON  PREACHED  ON  THE  CRUCIFIXION 
DURING  LENT. 

AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — The  ''Via  Dolorosa"  over  which 
Christ  journeyed  to  Calvary  descended  from  the  Praetorium 
into  the  Tyropoeon  Valley,  trended  westward  and  climbed 
a  steep  hillside.  Golgotha,  the  place  of  execution,  was  on 
the  summit  of  this  hill,  a  short  distance  beyond  the  walls 
of  Jerusalem.  Over  this  road  then  to  Golgotha,  or  Calvary, 
the  procession  moved.  At  the  head  rode  a  centurion  on 
horseback,  and  behind  him  came  Jesus  and  the  two  crimi- 
nals surrounded  by  four  soldiers. 

Christ  no  longer  wears  the  robe,  but  His  head  still 
bears  the  crown  of  thorns,  and  around  His  neck  there  is 
hung  a  tablet  upon  which  is  written  His  condemnation. 

The  instrument  of  His  torture  is  produced;  it  is  the 
Latin  cross,  and  it  is  placed  upon  His  lacerated  shoulders. 
The  procession  moves  rapidly  towards  Golgotha.  Jesus 
drags  that  heavy  badge  of  infamy  across  the  streets  of  Jeru- 
salem, stared  at  by  an  insolent  crowd  of  sightseers.  Up 
the  road  leading  to  Calvary  they  move;  but  before  they 
reach  the  gate  Jesus  falls  from  exhaustion.  With  jibes  and 
curses  and  blows  from  pike  and  javelin  they  try  to  spur 
Him  on.  But  it  is  useless.  They  see  that  the  Victim  cannot 
carry  the  cross  longer. 

At  this  moment  there  happened  to  be  entering  the  town 
a  Cyrenean  Jew  who  was  returning  from  the  country.  By 
his  dress  and  provision  the  soldiers  saw  at  a  glance  that  he 
was  a  stranger,  employed  at  servile  labor;  so  that  was  an 
ample  excuse  to  force  him  to  carry  the  cross  for  Jesus. 

On  the  way  they  met  a  crowd  of  women,  who  on  be- 
holding this  Man  of  sorrow  dragged  to  execution  lifted  up 
their  voices  in  lamentations  and  wails  and  beat  their 
breasts.  Moved  by  their  great  grief,  Jesus  turned  and  said 
to  them:  "Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  over  Me;  but 
212 


weep  for  yourselves  and  for  your  children ;  for  soon  the  day 
shall  come  when  they  will  say,  Blessed  are  the  barren, 
blessed  are  the  wombs  which  have  not  borne  and  the  breasts 
which  have  not  given  suck!  Then  shall  they  begin  to  say 
to  the  mountains,  fall  upon  us.  and  to  the  hills,  cover  us! 
For  if  men  deal  thus  with  the  green  wood,  what  shall  be 
done  in  the  day?" 

Bereft  of  His  strength  and  powerless,  Jesus  at  last 
reached  the  place  of  execution.  The  soldiers  offer  Him  a 
drink  of  wine  mingled  with  myrrh  and  poppy,  which  would 
produce  a  sort  of  a  lethargy  and  lighten  somewhat  the  pains 
of  crucifixion.  He  tasted  it;  but  would  not  drink;  He 
willed  to  suffer  all  the  bitterness  and  anguish  which  should 
accompany  His  execution;  and  He  fixed  His  gaze  upon  the 
Cross  which  was  driven  into  the  ground,  the  hammer  and 
nails  which  were  now  ready,  upon  the  ladders  raised  aloft 
and  the  cords  knotted  and  prepared.  His  body  shudders, 
but  His  soul  remains  steadfast  watching  the  approach  of 
death. 

They  now  seize  Him.  They  strip  Him  of  His  garments. 
They  put  the  cords  around  Him  and  pull  the  body  up  to 
the  protruding  spike  and  there  they  fasten  Him.  They 
stretch  out  His  arms  and  feet  so  as  to  make  them  reach  the 
holes  made  in  the  Cross.  And  then  they  began  the  nailing. 
See  how  they  drive  those  cruel  blunt  spikes  through  the 
hands  and  feet  of  our  Saviour!  Blow  after  blow  they  give 
those  nails  until  they  pierce  and  penetrate  and  pass  through 
the  flesh  and  bones  and  enter  into  the  wood  of  the  cross! 
Two  crosses  had  now  been  set  up,  one  on  the  right,  the 
other  on  the  left  of  Jesus,  bearing  the  two  thieves  who  had 
been  condemned  to  death  with  Him.  They  now  suspend 
our  Saviour,  suspend  Him  aloft  for  three  hours.  With  the 
crown  of  thorns  driven  into  His  head,  with  His  body  all 
bruised  and  mangled,  with  His  hands  and  feet  pierced,  they 
allow  Him  for  three  hours  to  hang  there  between  two 
thieves  with  the  title  written  in  Hebrew.  Greek  and  Latin : 
"This  is  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  King  of  the  Jews. 

At  this  derisive  title  and  at  the  sight  of  the  two  con- 
victs ranged  about  the  Christ  as  though  forming  His  right- 
ful court  and  His  true  people,  the  Jews  comprehended  at 


214    SERMON  PREACHED  ON  CRUCIFIXION  DURING  LENT 

once  the  satire  thus  leveled  against  them.  Soon  the  whole 
people  was  aware  of  it.  Straightway  the  High-priests  lay 
aside  their  preparation  for  the  Pasch  and  acting  again  as 
the  people's  spokesmen  went  in  search  of  the  Governor. 

They  demanded  that  he  should  change  the  superscrip- 
tion and  write  not  "Behold  the  King  of  the  Jews !"  But  write, 
"Behold  Him  who  called  Himself,  King  of  the  Jews."  But 
Pilate  responded:  "That  which  is  written  is  written." 

My  Dear  Brethren,  let  us  first  reflect  upon  the  depth 
of  Christ's  humility  in  bearing  the  infamous  badge  of  the 
cross  upon  His  shoulders  to  Calvary's  heights.  Like  a  beast 
of  burden  our  Lord  and  Master  submits  to  this  great  degra- 
dation. The  criminals  condemned  to  execution  carried  their 
crosses  upon  their  shoulders;  Christ  passes  off  as  one  of 
them,  and  as  a  dumb  beast  led  to  the  slaughter,  willingly 
carries  His,  and  opens  not  His  mouth.  But  Oh!  what  a 
transformation !  The  cross,  once  a  badge  of  infamy  is  now 
the  glory  of  mankind.  It  is  the  symbol  of  all  that  is  noble 
and  grand  and  sublime.  Like  the  serpent  held  up  by  Moses 
which  healed  all  those  who  looked  upon  it;  so  now  has  the 
cross  greater  power,  the  power  to  restore  to  spiritual  life 
all  those  who  are  dead.  The  cross  for  nineteen  hundred 
years  has  held  the  place  of  honor  in  every  Christian  home. 
It  is  the  ensign  of  a  Christian  warrior  and  never  has  it 
been  known  that  he  who  bore  it  in  battle  against  the  ene- 
mies of  his  soul  had  suffered  defeat! 

Let  us  then  love  and  venerate  the  cross  and  when 
fierce  temptations  assail  us,  let  us  seize  it  and  raise  it  aloft 
for  it  has  power  to  put  to  flight  all  the  devils  of  hell! 

Little  did  that  Cyrenean  Jew  know  when  he  un- 
willingly assisted  Christ  to  bear  His  cross,  that  his  name, 
on  account  of  that  act,  would  go  down  into  history,  and  that 
his  memory  would  be  held  in  benediction  wherever  Chris- 
tians are  found  till  the  end  of  time. 

So  has  been  the  history  of  man  as  regards  fame.  Those 
who  seek  it  do  not  obtain  it;  while  those  who  despise  it 
receive  most  of  it.  We  see  this  especially  in  the  lives  of 
God's  saints.  They  despised  fame  in  this  world;  they 
wished  to  be  forgotten  and  unknown;  but  whose  fame  is 
greater  and  more  universal?  whose  praises  are  sung  more 


SERMON  PREACHED  .ON  CRUCIFIXION  DURING  LENT    215 

loudly,  whose  memory  is  held  in  sweeter  remembrance?  As 
the  seed  must  die  before  it  buds  and  blossoms  and  blooms, 
so  we  too,  if  we  wish  to  live  in  the  memory  of  man  and  in 
the  memory  of  God,  must  die  to  ourselves  and  to  the  world. 

As  in  the  case  of  Pilate's  wife,  so  here  again  it  is  wo- 
man and  woman  alone,  who  sympathizes  with  Christ.  As 
they  see  Him  bleeding  and  mangled  and  led  on  to  execution, 
they  send  forth  heartrending  cries.  Shall  we  not  believe 
that  on  account  of  woman's  sympathy  and  mercy  when  He 
was  in  sore  need  of  it  that  Christ  has  blessed  all  woman 
kind  ?  May  this  not  be  one  of  the  reasons  why  woman  as  a 
rule  has  stronger  and  better  faith  than  man?  Why,  for 
every  one  man  who  is  a  true  disciple  of  Christ,  we  may  find 
two  or  more  women?  Behold  the  self  forgetfulness  of 
Christ!  "Weep  not  for  Me,  but  for  your  children",  said 
Christ  to  the  weeping  women.  At  this  moment  He  beheld 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  and  He  saw  the  children  of 
these  same  women  shut  up  and  surrounded  and  perishing 
in  that 'awful  siege,  and  beforehand  His  heart  went  out  to 
them  in  truest  sympathy.  Let  us  imitate  Christ;  in  the  suf- 
ferings of  others  let  us  forget  ours.  It  is  one  of  the  noblest 
and  most  Godlike  traits  of  the  human  breast. 

Christ  willed  to  suffer  His  passion  in  all  its  bitterness 
and  anguish  and  He  refused  to  drink  of  the  cup  of  wine  mixed 
with  myrrh  and  poppy.  Suffering  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of 
life.  If  we  wish  to  reap,  in  joy  we  must  sow  in  sorrow.  Our 
power  to  suffer  for  others  is  a  true  index  to  greatness  of 
soul.  The  man  or  woman  who  has  never  suffered  cannot 
be  truly  great  and  noble. 

The  world  wishes  to  get  away  from  suffering  because  it 
considers  it  an  evil.  Suffering  is  not  an  evil  but  a  blessing 
in  disguise.  Do  away  with  suffering  and  pain  and  you  do 
away  with  the  noblest  pleasures  of  life.  Without  sorrow 
there  is  no  gladness,  without  pain  there  is  no  after  bliss. 
Let  us  suffer  willingly  and  suffer  with  Christ,  knowing  and 
believing  that  it  will  work  a  hundred  fold  in  this  world  and 
life  everlasting  in  the  next. 

In  the  crucifixion  of  Christ  let  us  not  forget  that  His 
being  a  perfect  body  felt  pain  a  thousand  times  more  keenly 
than  we.  The  more  intellectual  and  spiritual  we  are  the 


216    SERMON  PREACHED  ON  CRUCIFIXION  DURING  LENT 

less  animal  there  is  in  us,  and  consequently  the  more  keenly 
we  feel  physical  pain.  The  saints  tell  us  that  the  slightest 
breeze  blowing  against  Christ's  cheek  caused  Him  pain ;  and 
that  the  sole  of  His  foot  was  more  delicate  than  the  inner 
pupil  of  man's  eye.  Bearing  this  in  mind  it  is  impossible 
for  us  to  conceive  the  intensity  of  the  pain  and  the  great- 
ness of  the  suffering  endured  by  Him  in  the  crucifixion. 

They  stretched  out  His  body  on  the  cross,  pulled  His 
limbs  out  of  joint  so  as  to  make  the  hands  and  feet  reach  the 
holes  which  were  made  in  the  wood  for  them.  They  then 
took  spikes, — blunt  spikes — and  drove  them  through  the 
palms  of  Christ's  hands  and  through  the  soles  of  His  feet 
into  the  wood  of  the  cross.  They  now  raised  Him  aloft, 
and  allowed  Him  to  hang  there  for  three  hours, — hang  there 
suspended  between  earth  and  heaven, — hang  there — the 
weight  of  His  body  upon  the  bruised,  torn  and  lacerated 
flesh  of  the  hands  and  feet  for  three  hours, — hang  there 
amid  the  scoffs  and  jeers  of  the  rabble.  At  last  He  utters 
the  cry :  "Father  into  Thy  hands  I  restore  My  spirit."  Christ 
is  dead !  The  veil  of  the  temple  is  rent  in  twain !  The  earth 
shakes !  The  graves  open !  The  rocks  are  cloven  asunder ! 
Bodies  of  the  saints  arise  from  the  tombs!  Darkness  envel- 
opes the  earth !  Heaven  is  opened !  Man  is  redeemed ! 


SERMON  ON  ST.  LOUIS. 

DELIVERED  TO  KNIGHTS  OP  COLUMBUS,  AT  FAIRMONT,  W.  VA. 

"Let  your  light  shine  before  men  that  they  may  see 
your  good  works  and  glorify  your  Father  who  is  in  Heaven." 
(St.  Matthew  V,  16). 

Before  beginning  my  address  I  wish  to  thank  publicly 
the  Rev.  Pastor  of  this  Church  for  the  most  cordial  invita- 
tion extended  to  me  to  be  present  this  morning  and  address 
you,  and  also  to  accept  the  kind  hospitality  of  his  house. 
It  makes  everything  exceedingly  pleasant.  But  nothing 
else  could  be  expected  from  the  able,  far-sighted  and  cour- 
teous Father  Boutlou. 

Esteemed  Father,  Sir  Knights  and  Dear  Brethren: — 
To  address  you  this  morning  I  consider  not  only  a  duty 
which  affords  much  pleasure,  but  a  great  honor.  To  see  the 
State  Officers  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  the  delegates  and 
their  brothers,  stalwart  Catholic  men,  assembled  around 
God's  altar  to  assist  at  the  tremendous  mysteries  of  the 
New  Law,  and  to  listen  to  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  is 
indeed  an  edifying  and  encouraging  sight,  and  one  which 
should  cheer  the  heart  of  God's  ministers,  as  it  is  an  omen 
that  speaks  well  for  the  Catholic  Church  and  Christianity 
in  America. 

In  looking  for  a  subject  which  would  be  especially  ap- 
propriate, I  thought  I  could  do  no  better  than  to  first  place 
before  you  a  short  sketch  of  the  greatest  and  model  Chris- 
tian Knight,  as  a  setting  and  inspiration,  and  then  draw 
therefrom  a  few  lessons,  and  apply  them  to  our  own  con- 
dition, country  and  times  for  your  emulation;  need  I  tell 
you  that  the  first  model  Christian  Knight  is  no  other  than 
a  canonized  saint  of  the  Catholic  Church,  Louis  the  Ninth, 
King  of  France? 

Louis  the  Ninth,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born 
in  Poissy  in  1215.  Like  many  other  saints,  he  came  of  noble 

217 


218  SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis 

and  illustrious  parents.  His  father  was  King  Louis  the 
Eighth,  of  France,  and  his  mother  was  Princess  Blanche, 
daughter  of  Alphonsus  the  Ninth,  of  Castile.  To  his  mother 
he  is  principally  indebted  for  his  high  and  saintly  char- 
acter. From  his  infancy  she  bestowed  upon  him  the  great- 
est care  and  attention ;  she  permitted  none  but  her  own 
breasts  to  give  him  suck.  Besides  teaching  him  grammar, 
rhetoric  and  music,  she  also  instructed  him  in  art  of  war, 
and  the  science  of  government.  She  made  it  her  principal 
care  to  instill  into  his  youthful  heart  the  strongest  senti- 
ments of  religion  and  virtue.  Often  did  she  say  to  him :  "I 
love  you,  my  dear  son.  with  all  the  tenderness  a  mother 
is  capable  of ;  but  I  would  infinitely  rather  see  you  fall  down 
dead  at  my  feet  than  that  you  should  commit  a  mortal  sin." 
Never  was  this  lesson  effaced  from  his  mind,  and  no  day 
passed  over  him,  as  he  tells  us,  in  which  those  words  did 
not  recur  to  him,  and  urge  him  on  to  resist  vigorously  the 
snares  and  dangers  to  salvation. 

His  father  having  died  when  our  saint  was  but  twelve 
years  old,  Queen  Blanche  was  declared  regent,  and  to  pre- 
vent sedition  she  hastened  his  coronation,  which  was  per- 
formed at  Kheims,  on  the  first  Sunday  of  Advent.  The 
young  king  prepared  himself  spiritually  for  this  ceremony 
by  special  exercises  of  devotion.  He  trembled  on  taking  the 
coronation  oath,  and  begged  God  for  light  and  strength, 
saying  to  Him  in  the  words  of  David,  "To  Thee,  O  Lord, 
h'ave  I  raised  up  my  soul,  and  in  Thee,  do  I  place  my  confi- 
dence." 

King  Louis  made  the  defence  of  God's  honor  the  aim 
of  his  life,  and  in  two  years  he  crushed  the  power  of  the 
Albigensian  heretics,  fanatics  who  overran  France,  and 
compelled  them  by  stringent  penalties  to  respect  the  rights 
of  the  Catholic  faith.  The  good  king  was  never  so  happy 
as  when  in  the  company  of  priests,  whom  he  invited  often 
to  sit  at  the  royal  table.  He  daily  recited  the  Divine  Office, 
hoard  two  masses,  and  built  some  of  the  most  magnifi- 
cent churches  in  France.  He  appeared  at  the  foot  of  the 
altar  more  recollected  than  the  most  devout  hermit,  and 
when  he  was  reproached  for  giving  too  much  time  to  relig- 
ious devotions,  his  only  answer  was,  if  that  time  were  given 


SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis  219 

to  hunting,  tournaments  or  play,  no  accoun  t  would  be  taken 
of  it.  Amidst  the  dainties  of  the  royal  table  he  was  very 
temperate,  practicing  some  acts  of  mortification  at  each 
meal;  but  he  was  extremely  ingenious  to  keep  those  acts  of 
self  denial  concealed;  his  virtue  never  made  him  morose, 
and  he  was  most  humane  and  very  agreeable  in  conversa- 
tion. The  inward  peace  of  his  mind  and  the  joy  of  his  soul 
coming  from  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  seemed  to  dif- 
fuse themselves  on  all  those  who  enjoyed  his  gracious  com- 
pany. He  was  most  bounteous  in  alms-giving,  and  loved 
the  poor,  whom  he  often  served  at  table  and  visited  in  the 
hospitals.  Above  all  he  was  most  modest,  and  hated  all 
kinds  of  blasphemy.  We  are  told  that  his  very  blushes  suf- 
ficed to  check  loose  thoughts  in  others;  and  when  remon- 
strated with  by  his  courtiers  for  having  made  a  law  that 
blasphemers  should  be  branded  on  the  lips,  he  replied:  "I 
would  willingly  have  my  own  lips  branded  to  have  blas- 
phemy rooted  out  from  my  kingdom." 

King  Louis  was  the  fearless  protector  of  the  weak  and 
the  defender  of  the  oppressed,  and  was  chosen  arbiter  in 
all  the  great  feuds  of  the  age.  In  1248  he  gathered  around 
him  the  chivalry  of  France  and  embarked  on  the  glorious 
mission  to  rescue  from  the  Turk  and  the  Saracen,  the  land 
and  places  made  sacred  by  the  foot  prints  and  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Here  you  have  the  true  origin  of  knighthood. 
Before  the  infidel,  in  victory  or  defeat,  on  a  bed  of  sickness, 
or  a  captive  in  chains,  King  Louis  was  ever  the  best  and 
bravest  of  Christian  knights.  When  a  captive  at  Damietta, 
an  Emir  rushed  into  his  tent  with  a  dagger  dripping  red 
with  blood,  pointed  it  at  his  throat  and  commanded  him  to 
make  him  a  knight,  King  Louis  calmly  replied  that  no  in- 
fidel could  perform  the  duties  of  a  Christian  knight.  So, 
too,  in  the  same  captivity  when  he  was  offered  his  liberty 
on  terms  not  wrong  in  themselves,  but  implying  a  compro- 
mise with  the  sin  of  blasphemy,  although  their  swords  were 
pointed  at  his  throat,  and  the  Christians  were  threatened 
with  massacre,  King  Louis  sternly  refused  the  offer.  The 
death  of  his  mother  recalled  him  to  France;  but  when  order 
was  restored,  he  set  out  on  a  second  crusade.  He  landed  at 
Tunis  in  the  year  1270,  and  defeated  the  Saracens,  who  were 


220  SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis 

ltd  on  by  their  mad  king  Muley  Mustanza.  But  the  king  was 
seized  with  a  malignant  fever,  and  knowing  that  his  hour 
had  come  prepared  for  his  final  exit,  like  the  true  saint  he 
was.  Having  settled  his  earthly  affairs,  he  desired  that  no 
more  mention  be  made  of  temporal  matters,  and  he  gave 
himself  up  entirely  to  the  things  of  God  and  eternity,  speak- 
ing only  to  his  confessor.  Although  too  weak  to  creep  to 
the  Church  as  was  his  custom,  he  rose  from  his  camp  bed 
and  knelt  whilst  he  received  the  Viaticum.  He  spent  the 
rest  of  the  time  in  ardent  acts  of  divine  love  and  praise, 
and  finally  lifting  his  eyes  up  towards  Heaven,  he  repeated 
aloud  the  words  of  the  Psalmist:  "Lord,  I  will  enter  into 
Thy  house;  I  will  adore  in  Thy  temple  and  will  give  glory 
to  Thy  name.  Into  Thy  hands  I  commend  my  soul."  Thus 
did  St.  Louis  give  up  his  life  with  the  same  joy  as  he  had 
given  up  all  else  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  God.  Thus  did 
the  first,  greatest  and  bravest  of  Christian  knights  die. 

Sir  Knights  and  Brothers,  the  first  thing  in  the  life  of 
St.  Louis  to  which  I  wish  to  call  attention  and  upon  which 
I  wish  to  dwell  for  a  moment  or  two,  is  his  Christian  edu- 
cation. By  nature  the  first  teacher  is  the  mother,  the  first 
class-room  the  fireside,  and  the  first  lesson,  obedience 
founded  on  love,  and  taught  at  the  mother's  knee.  The  first 
impressions  are  the  lasting  ones.  When  the  child  is  young, 
the  mind  and  heart  are  as  pliable  as  wax;  they  can  be 
moulded  into  any  shape  or  form.  Man  is  an  intellectual  and 
moral  being,  and  the  heart  and  will  must  be  trained  as 
much  as  the  head  and  mind.  This  is  a  process  which  re- 
quires several  years  of  labor  on  the  part  of  the  teachers, 
day  in  and  day  out,  if  we  wish  to  have  a  perfect  Christian 
man  or  woman.  Behold  the  care  and  watchfulness  of  Queen 
Blanche  in  the  education  of  King  Louis,  and  the  result. 
But  mothers  nowadays  are  not  Queen  Blanches,  possessing 
neither  the  leisure  nor  the  ability  to  educate  their  children. 
The  work  must  therefore,  be  delegated  to  priests  and  nuns, 
and  be  done  in  Catholic  schools.  Hence,  a  true  knight  should 
necessarily  be  a  firm  believer  and  a  staunch  upholder  of 
Catholic  education,  and  co-operate  with  the  various  pastors 
in  the  building  and  maintenance  of  Parochial  Schools.  Their 
duty  as  true  knights  does  not  stop  here.  Catholics  in  this 


SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis  221 

country  are  laboring  under  a  great  injustice  in  having  to 
support  by  taxes,  godless  or  sectarian  schools.  Let  them 
as  a  body  agitate  the  question  of  a  division  of  the  school 
funds,  or  Catholic  non-exemption  from  school  taxes.  Tax- 
ation without  representation  is  a  crying  injustice.  Let  them, 
too,  exert  their  influence  as  a  body  to  prevent  the  com- 
mencement exercises  of  the  public  schools  from  being  held 
in  Protestant  churches  and  under  Protestant  auspices. 

The  next  thing  in  his  life  which  we  should  try  to  imitate 
as  knights,  is  his  zeal  for  the  spread  of  the  Catholic  faith.  To 
do  this  we  do  not  need  to  be  controversialists;  a  true  and 
proper  knowledge  of  our  religion,  which  can  be  gained  from 
an  intelligent  study  of  the  Catechism,  good  example  and 
prayers  are  sufficient;  and  what  true  knight  could  not  do 
so  much?  When  a  knight  is  asked  about  a  certain  doctrine 
of  the  Church,  let  him  be  able  to  give  a  simple  and  concise 
answer.  The  mind  has  been  made  for  truth,  and  truth,  by 
its  beauty  and  harmony,  draws  the  mind  to  itself.  "Words 
move,  but  examples  draw,"  said  a  philosopher.  A  good, 
practical,  sincere  Catholic  teaches  all  day  long.  His  life 
is  a  most  eloquent  sermon.  There  can  be  no  conversions 
without  the  light  of  faith,  and  the  light  of  faith  comes  from 
prayer. 

King  Louis  loved  the  company  of  priests.  Yes,  a  true 
knight  will  love  the  priest,  not  on  account  of  the  man,  so 
much  as  on  account  of  Him  whom  he  represents,  Jesus 
Christ,  the  great  high  priest.  The  true  knight  will  uphold 
the  arm  of  the  priest  in  all  his  undertakings,  and  will  help 
him  to  fight  the  battles  for  God  and  souls.  He  will  ever  re- 
member the  words  of  our  Divine  Lord  when  he  sent  forth  the 
Apostles  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  whole  world:  "He 
that  heareth  you  heareth  Me,  and  he  that  despiseth 
you  despiseth  Me,  and  he  that  despiseth  Me  despiseth  Him 
who  sent  Me."  A  priest  is  an  "Alter  Christus",  representing 
Christ ;  carrying  on  and  doing  His  work,  offering  the  great 
Sacrifice,  preaching,  administering  the  Sacraments,  consol- 
ing, uplifting  and  comforting  all  those  who  come  to  him.  King 
Louis  realized  this,  and  their  company  he  sought  and  their 
company  he  enjoyed. 


222  SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis 

King  Louis  was  very  abstemious.  Whilst  I  do  not  be- 
lieve in  prohibition  nor  local  option,  either,  yet  I  do  believe 
in  the  regulation  of  the  liquor  traffic  by  law.  Good,  sane, 
common  sense  license  laws  rigorously  enforced,  is  the  true 
solution  of  the  liquor  evil,  in  my  judgment.  However,  I 
yield  to  few  in  my  advocacy  of  temperance,  as  every  true 
knight  should  likewise.  But  temperance  consists  not  in  to- 
tal abstention,  but  in  using  things  in  the  way,  and  for 
the  end  the  Almighty  intended  when  He  created  them.  Noth- 
ing is  an  evil  in  itself.  The  evil  consists  in  the  abuse  of  the 
thing.  The  evil  comes  from  the  heart  of  man,  not  from  the 
thing  itself,  as  St.  John  Chrysostom  says.  Temperance, 
then  is  the  moderate  and  reasonable  use  of  things,  and  ap- 
plies not  only  to  drink  and  food,  but  to  all  forms  of  pleas- 
ure and  recreation,  and  even  to  study  and  labor.  Avoid  ex- 
tremes and  follow  the  golden  mean.  "In  medio  stat  veri- 
tas",  is  an  old  adage — and  it  is  as  true  in  the  domain  of 
morals  as  in  the  search  after  truth.  Regulate  your  appetite 
at  all  times,  and  deny  yourselves  sometimes  in  lawful 
things,  that  you  may  be  able  to  refrain  in  unlawful  things. 
Do  it,  too,  out  of  love  for  Christ  and  as  a  reparation  for 
the  pleasure  you  have  taken  in  sin. 

King  Louis  was  most  charitable,  and  strove  with  all 
his  might  to  root  out  blasphemy  from  his  kingdom.  Sir 
Knights,  unless  we  love  our  fellowmen,  whom  we  see  on 
earth,  we  cannot  say  that  we  love  our  Father  in  heaven, 
whom  we  see  not.  Unless  we  go  to  our  brother's  assistance 
when  in  want  we  do  not  love  him  as  ourselves.  Our  charity 
should  be  universal  and  include  all  men,  no  matter  what 
may  be  their  belief,  the  country  they  hail  from,  the  language 
they  speak,  or  the  color  of  their  skin.  The  one  question  we 
should  ask,  is  he  a  human  being  made  to  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  God,  and  for  whom  Christ  died?  If  so,  then  extend 
a  helping  hand  and  a  cheering  word! 

Sir  Knights,  let  us  make  a  crusade  against  blasphemy 
and  impure  speech.  What  Christian  can  take,  deliberately, 
the  name  of  Christ  in  vain?  That  name  which  originated  in 
Heaven,  which  was  brought  to  this  earth  by  an  angel,  which 
was  borne  by  our  Redeemer  and  Saviour,  by  which  devils 
were  cast  out  and  the  dead  raised  to  life,  and  at  the  mention 


SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis 

of  which  the  angels  in  Heaven  cover  their  faces  and  the 
devils  in  hell  tremble!  To  hear  it  taken  in  vain  should 
arouse  in  us  the  holiest  indignation !  What  havoc  is  wrought 
by  impure  speech!  Never  until  the  Day  of  Judgment  shall 
we  know  how  many  souls  are  in  hell  through  the  telling  and 
the  repetition  of  an  immodest  story!  Out  of  the  heart  the 
mouth  speaketh !  Avoid  the  foul-mouthed  man  as  you  would 
one  afflicted  with  the  most  contagious  disease!  He  must 
necessarily  infect  you  if  you  keep  his  company! 

Sir  Knights,  our  mission  is  not  to  rescue  the  Holy 
Land  from  the  Turk  and  the  Saracen,  but  our  mission  is 
to  rescue  our  own  beloved  land  from  two  great  social  evils, 
which  are  stalking  abroad,  and  which,  if  not  checked  in 
their  onward  march,  will  destroy  our  country  and  our  civ- 
ilization,— I  mean  the  twin  evils — divorce  and  socialism — 
anarchy  in  the  home  and  anarchy  in  the  state.  The  home 
is  the  foundation  of  the  state.  The  state  is  but  an  aggrega- 
tion of  families.  As  the  family  is,  so  must  the  state  be.  To 
rear  a  family  properly  the  harmonious  co-operation  of  both 
parents  is  necessary.  The  strong  arm  of  the  father  is  needed 
and  the  loving  heart  of  the  mother  is  needed.  The  former 
to  restrain  the  evil  inclinations  of  the  child,  and  the  latter 
to  urge  the  child  on  to  virtue  and  goodness.  Both  are  neces- 
sary in  the  development  of  the  family.  Divorce  destroys 
this  order,  which  is  taught  us  by  nature.  Divorce  intro- 
duces anarchy  into  the  family.  Divorce  separates  father  and 
mother,  and  throws  the  children  out  upon  society.  Divorce 
is  but  another  name  for  free  love.  Polygamy  is  the  lesser 
of  the  two  evils.  Let  the  Knights  of  Columbus  as  a  body 
take  a  stand  upon  this  question  and  do  all  in  their  power 
by  education  and  moral  persuasion  to  make  the  American 
people  see  this  most  blighting  evil,  ere  it  is  too  late! 

Socialism,  Sir  Knights,  is  the  most  deadly  of  all  social 
evils.  Socialism  is  founded  upon  materialism.  Its  leaders 
teach  that  man  is  but  a  higher  form  of  the  brute  creation, 
and  that  there  is  no  other  life  but  the  present.  Conse- 
quently, they  teach  that  there  is  no  God,  no  soul,  no 
Heaven;  and  that  if  man  here  has  plenty  to  eat,  plenty  to 
drink  and  the  means  to  gratify  his  passions,  he  will  have 
fulfilled  the  purpose  and  end  of  his  existence.  It  is  true 


224  SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis 

that  they  do  not  proclaim  these  doctrines  in  such  explicit 
terms.  They  are  too  cunning,  for  like  their  leader,  Lucifer, 
they  know  human  nature  well,  and  they  know  that  men 
with  Christian  instincts  would  rebel  against  doctrines,  put 
so  grossly.  But  such  is  the  animus  of  their  teaching  as 
gathered  from  their  doctrinaires.  Socialism,  stripped  of  its 
materialism  and  at  its  best,  is  founded  upon  a  wrong  idea 
of  human  nature.  It  takes  for  granted,  under  the  Socialis- 
tic regime,  that  men  will  divest  themselves  of  their  selfish 
nature,  and  simply  live  and  labor  for  their  fellow-man  and 
common  good.  Hence  they  clothe  their  doctrines  in  milder, 
sweeter  and  more  "enticing  terms  to  deceive,  if  possible,  the 
elect.  Socialism  is  founded  upon  a  wrong  conception  of  the 
history  of  man.  It  does  not  take  into  consideration  that 
civilization  has  been  forming  itself  for  the  last  6,000  years 
or  more,  and  that  it  has  been  an  upward  struggle  for  indi- 
vidualism against  the  tyranny  of  the  State.  Socialism  re- 
bels against  the  Providence  of  God,  which  from  the  begin- 
ning has  directed  and  governed  men  and  nations.  Social- 
ism would  make  slaves  out  of  men,  make  them  but  cogs 
in  the  great  wheel  of  the  State.  Socialism  would  give  us 
as  masters  unprincipled  atheists.  Socialism  strikes  at  God, 
the  Church,  the  home  and  the  family.  Socialism  is  imprac- 
ticable, a  fancy,  a  dream,  a  chimera.  But,  Sir  Knights,  do 
not  allow  them  to  sail  under  false  colors  and  monopolize 
the  field  of  social  reform.  They  are  great  and  crying  evils 
in  the  social  body,  and  any  remedy  which  is  advocated  by 
the  Socialists,  and  is  practical,  they  have  derived,  not  from 
their  own  principles,  but  from  the  principles  of  Christian- 
ity. To  stem  the  tide  of  Socialism  in  this  country,  let  us 
imitate  our  Catholic  brothers  in  Germany,  who  were 
aroused  and  organized  to  social  action  by  that  great  Cath- 
olic Bishop,  Von  Ketteler,  the  greatest  man,  as  some  one 
has  said,  who  appeared  in  history  for  a  thousand  years  or 
more.  The  social  question  cannot  be  solved  except  by  the 
application  of  Christian  principles.  Enter,  then  into  the 
social  field!  The  social  question  is  not  a  political  one,  but 
a  religious  one;  for  as  Bishop  Von  Ketteler  has  truly  said, 
"Even  under  the  best  form  of  government  miseries  will 
abound,  and  that  the  solution  of  the  social  question  rests 


SERMON  ON  ST.  Louis  225 

with  the  Catholic  Church.  The  State  has  not  the  power  to 
solve  it,  whatever  resolutions  it  may  pass." 

Before  bringing  my  address  to  a  close,  I  wish  to  call 
to  your  mind  those  words  of  King  Louis  to  the  Emir  who 
wanted  to  force  him  at  the  point  of  the  sword  to  make  him 
a  knight:  "No  infidel  could  perform  the  duties  of  a  Chris- 
tian knight."  Sir  Knights,  no  one  but  a  model  Catholic 
and  a  strong  character  should  be  admitted  to  knighthood. 
We  have  been  growing,  but  in  our  rapid  growth  I  see  some 
seeds  of  dissolution  and  decay.  We  have  been  admitting 
into  our  ranks  some  men  who  care  very  little  for  the  prin- 
ciples of  Catholicity  and  knighthood.  We  want  quality  and 
not  quantity — we  want  character  and  not  numbers.  Let  us 
admit  no  more  such  men  into  our  ranks,  and  when  we  find 
them,  there  let  us  cast  them  forth  immediately!  In  a  word 
let  us  raise  the  standard  of  knighthood! 

Sir  Knights,  if  we  are  true  to  the  teaching  of  our 
Church  and  the  principles  of  our  Order,  when  the  Angel  of 
Death  wings  its  flight  to  this  earth  and  summons  us  hence 
to  appear  before  our  Great  Judge,  we  need  not  fear,  nor  be 
sorrowful.  Trusting  in  the  Infinite  Mercy  of  God  and  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  protection  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  and  the  prayers  of  the  Saints,  we  may  say  with  the 
first  and  greatest  Christian  Knight,  "Lord,  I  will  enter  into 
Thy  house;  I  will  adore  in  Thy  holy  temple  and  will  give 
glory  to  Thy  name.  Into  Thy  hands  I  commend  my  soul." 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — I  believe  that  we  cannot  better 
spend  the  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  which  I  have  set  aside 
for  instructions  during  these  summer  months,  than  in  a  se- 
rious consideration  of  the  Ten  Commandments  which  com- 
prise the  whole  Law  of  God.  I  shall,  therefore,  have  to  be 
brief  in  order  to  finish  them  in  eight  Sundays. 

The  Ten  Commandments  as  you  know  were  given  by 
Almighty  God  to  Moses  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  through  him 
to  the  Jewish  people.  But  from  the  beginning  they  had 
been  written  upon  the  hearts  of  men.  In  time,  owing  to  the 
sins  of  men,  this  teaching  of  conscience  concerning  them  be- 
came less  and  less  distinct,  until  finally  it  became  neces- 
sary for  God  to  reveal  and  enforce  them  in  a  supernatural 
manner. 

The  Ten  Commandments  comprise  all  our  duties  and 
obligations,  and  are  founded  upon  the  relations  which  ne- 
cessarily exist  between  man  and  his  Creator,  and  between 
man  and  man.  Hence  they  are  immutable  and  unalterable 
and  will  remain  in  force  until  the  end  of  time.  They  are 
as  binding  under  the  New  as  under  the  Old  Law.  There- 
fore when  Christ  came,  He  simply  reaffirmed  them.  We 
shall  begin  this  morning  with  the  First  Commandment, 
which  is: — "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God;  thou  shalt  not  have 
strange  gods  before  Me."  By  this  commandment  we  are 
commanded  to  believe  in  God,  to  hope  in  Him  and  to  love 
Him.  And  by  it  we  are  forbidden  to  give  to  creatures  the 
honor  which  belongs  to  God,  or  to  worship  God  in  a  false 
manner,  or  to  attribute  to  a  creature  a  perfection  which 
belongs  to  God  alone.  We  are  commanded  to  believe  in 
God,  and  all  that  He  has  revealed,  because  He  is  Infinite 
Truth,  Who  knows  all  things,  and  because  He  is  Infinite 
Sanctity,  Who  cannot  deceive  us.  The  things  which  God 
has  revealed,  and  which  we  are  commanded  to  believe,  we 
shall  learn  from  the  Catholic  Church  through  which  God 
speaks  to  us.  And  those  truths  are  briefly  contained  in  the 
Apostles'  Creed,  which,  tradition  tells  us  was  composed  by 
226 


THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT  227 

the  Apostles  before  they  separated  and  went  forth  into 
the  world  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  We  are 
commanded  to  hope  in  God  and  to  trust  in  Him  most  firmly, 
because  He  is  omnipotent,  that  is,  because  He  can  do  all 
things,  and  nothing  is  hard  or  impossible  to  Him,  and  be- 
cause He  is  most  faithful  and  true,  that  is,  because  He  will 
keep  the  smallest  of  His  promises  and  not  one  jot  or  tittle 
of  His  word  will  fail.  The  substance  of  those  promises  is 
that  He  will  give  us  heaven  and  all  the  means  necessary  to 
attain  it.  However,  with  this  firm  hope  there  may  be  some 
fear  on  our  part,  when  we  consider  our  many  infirmities, 
and  the  dangers  of  the  world.  We  are  commanded  to  love 
God  and  to  love  Him  above  all  things,  because  He  is  worthy 
of  such  love,  being  the  Infinite  Truth,  Beauty  and  Goodness. 
And  we  are  commanded  to  love  our  neighbors,  because  they 
have  within  them  these  perfectipns  of  God  in  a  participated, 
limited  and  finite  degree.  Hence,  in  the  love,  hope  and 
belief  of  God  there  is  included  prayer — prayer  of  adoration, 
prayer  of  petition  and  prayer  of  thanksgiving. 

My  Brethren,  we  give  to  a  creature  the  honor  which 
belongs  to  God  when  we  worship  or  adore  any  other  thing 
than  God,  placing  in  it  our  first  beginning  or  last  end.  We 
worship  God  falsely  when  we  are  present  at,  or  take  part 
in  any  form  of  worship  not  sanctioned  by  the  Catholic 
Church;  consequently  all  heretical  forms  of  worship  come 
under  this  head.  We  give  to  a  creature  the  perfection 
which  belongs  to  God  when  we  consult  fortune-tellers, 
mediums,  spiritualists,  astrologers,  phrenologists,  etc.,  or 
when  we  believe  in  dreams  or  make  use  of  spells  or  charms, 
etc.  No  one  knows  the  free  future  except  God.  Such  knowledge 
implies  omniscience,  and  consequently  he  who  expects  to 
get  such  from  a  creature,  makes  a  god  of  that  creature. 

My  Brethren,  some  of  the  more  common  ways  in  which 
the  First  Commandment  may  be  broken  are  the  following: 
— First,  by  attributing  the  direct  interposition  of  God  in 
the  affairs  of  men  without  a  solid  reason.  As  for  example, 
if  a  very  wicked  man  were  stricken  down  suddenly,  we 
should  attribute  it  to  the  direct  intervention  of  God  simply 
and  solely  on  account  of  the  man's  wickedness.  Secondly, 
it  is  broken  by  not  trying  to  learn  all  that  God  has  revealed. 


228  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT 

As  for  example,  the  Catholic  who  does  not  know  the  Apos- 
tles' Creed,  the  Commandments  of  God,  the  Precepts  of  the 
Church,  the  Seven  Sacraments  and  the  Lord's  Prayer,  sins 
against  the  First  Commandment.  It  is  broken  when  we 
do  not  make  an  act  of  Faith  when  some  doctrine  of  faith 
is  proposed  for  our  belief.  It  is  broken  when  we  doubt  some 
article  of  faith,  or  deny  publicly  some  truth  of  our  religion. 
We  sin  against  this  Commandment,  when  we  deny  our  re- 
ligion or  do  not  openly  profess  it.  As  for  example,  a  Cath- 
olic would  sin  in  this  way,  by  being  present  at  heretical 
worship  outside  of  grave  necessity,  or  by  taking  part  in  it, 
no  matter  how  serious  the  reason  may  be,  or  by  denying  his 
Catholicity  when  questioned  concerning  it.  This  Command- 
ment is  broken  by  exposing  our  faith  to  danger,  as  for 
example,  we  should  sin  in  this  way,  by  habitually  associat- 
ing with  those  of  a  different  faith  or  no  faith  at  all.  It  is 
broken  by  presumption,  that  is,  by  hoping  to  be  saved  with- 
out making  use  of  the  means  of  salvation,  as  for  example, 
that  Catholic  who  neglects  to  go  to  the  Sacraments,  or  who 
habitually  misses  Mass  on  Sundays  and  yet  expects  to  be 
saved.  It  is  broken  by  despair,  that  is,  when  on  account 
of  the  number  and  greatness  of  our  sins,  we  believe  that 
God  will  not  pardon  us.  We  sin  against  this  commandment 
by  any  acts  of  hatred  or  envy  towards  God  or  by  loving 
anything  more  than  God,  that  is  by  committing  any  griev- 
ous and  deliberate  sin,  on  account  of  some  pleasure  or 
creature. 

My  Brethren,  let  us  examine  ourselves  seriously,  this 
morning,  to  see  if  we  have  broken  the  First  Commandment, 
and  how?  God  will  judge  us  about  the  keeping  of  each 
and  every  commandment.  To  be  saved  we  must  keep  the 
Ten  Commandments;  not  one  or  two,  but  the  Ten;  not  one 
part  of  the  Law,  but  the  whole  Law.  If  after  this  exami- 
nation, we  find  that  we  say  our  morning  and  evening  pray- 
ers, assist  at  Mass  on  Sundays,  frequent  the  Sacraments, 
know  the  Catechism,  try  to  avoid  sin,  keep  away  from  heret- 
ical worship,  do  not  pry  into  the  future  through  unnatural 
means;  then  we  can  rest  assured  that  we  are  keeping  at 
least  the  First  Commandment.  May  God  give  us  light  to 
know  ourselves  and  strength  to  change  for  the  better! 


THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 
PREACHED  AT"  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

The  Second  Commandment  is: — "Thou  shalt  not  take 
the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain."  By  this  Command- 
ment we  are  commanded  to  always  use  the  name  of  God 
with  great  reverence,  and  not  to  invoke  it,  except  for  a 
serious  reason.  According  to  St.  Thomas,  we  can  invoke 
God's  name  either  to  praise  Him,  or  to  induce  others  to  do 
something  in  His  honor,  or  to  bind  ourselves  to  some  praise- 
worthy deed.  Hence  it  is  lawful  to  take  God's  name  to 
arouse  and  stimulate  devotion  towards  Him  and  to  excite 
ourselves  or  others  to  praise  and  glorify  Him.  To  take  His 
name  outside  these  cases,  and  for  any  other  reason  is  un- 
lawful and  forbidden — "The  name  of  the  Lord  is  holy  and 
terrible;  thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  thy  God  in  vain." 
By  the  Second  Commandment  we  are  forbidden  to  take 
God's  name  in  conversation  either  from  anger,  admiration 
or  habit.  If  we  do  so  without  reflection  and  irreverence  the 
sin  in  most  cases  is  not  grievous.  The  same  holds  true  of 
the  name  of  the  saints.  Except  with  reverence,  in  prayer, 
or  for  a  good  end,  we  are  not  allowed  to  take  their 
name.  But  to  take  the  name  of  the  devil  is  not  a  sin  al- 
though it  is  vulgar  and  unbecoming. 

By  the  Second  Commandment  we  are  forbidden  to  blas- 
pheme: "And  he  that  blasphemeth  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
dying,  let  him  die."  Blasphemy  is  any  word  or  deed  by 
which  we  impute  unholiness,  injustice,  unmercifulness  or 
any  other  imperfection  to  God.  For  example,  should  we 
say  that  God  is  cruel  or  unjust;  or  God  has  forsaken  us, 
or  has  grievously  tormented  us,  we  sin  by  blasphemy.  We 
sin  by  blasphemy,  when  we  imprecate  evil  upon  ourselves 
or  others;  as  for  example,  if  I  should  say,  may  God  strike 
me  dead  if  I  am  not  speaking  the  truth,  or  may  God  destroy 
thee  if  thou  doest  that,  or  may  God  damn  thee  for  having 
done  that.  Those  who  have  contracted  the  habit  of  cursing 

229 


230  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT 

or  blaspheming  and  are  not  making  zealous  efforts  to  over- 
come it,  although  they  do  not  advert  to  it  are  guilty  of  griev- 
ous sin  every  time  they  curse  or  blaspheme. 

By  the  Second  Commandment  we  are  not  forbidden  to 
adjure  God  or  the  Saints,  to  induce  others  to  do  something 
good  and  praiseworthy.  As  for  example,  it  would  be  lawful 
for  us  to  say,  "In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  I  beseech  thee 
to  amend  thy  evil  ways" ;  or  again,  "I  beseech  thee  through 
Peter  and  Paul  to  go  to  confession." 

We  are  not  forbidden  by  the  Second  Commandment  to 
call  upon  God  as  a  witness  to  the  truth  of  what  we  are 
speaking,  or  as  a  witness  that  we  shall  keep  the  promise 
we  have  made.  "And  thou  shalt  swear;  as  the  Lord  liveth 
in  truth  and  in  judgment  and  justice."  Therefore  in  order 
that  we  may  take  an  oath  lawfully  we  must  first  be  morally 
certain  that  what  we  swear  to  is  the  truth.  Secondly,  there 
must  be  a  serious  reason;  as  for  example,  the  spiritual  or 
temporal  good  of  some  one  demands  it.  And  thirdly,  that 
which  we  promise  to  do  must  be  good  and  honest  in  itself. 

By  the  Second  Commandment  we  are  not  forbidden  to 
take  vows.  A  vow  is  a  deliberate  promise  made  to  God  to 
do  something  which  is  good  and  pleasing  to  Him.  Just  as 
certain  conditions  are  necessary  that  an  oath  may  be  law- 
ful, so  also  with  a  vow.  First,  a  person  before  he  can  take 
a  vow  must  have  the  use  of  reason ;  secondly,  he  must  have 
the  intention  of  binding  himself;  thirdly,  he  must  have  suf- 
ficiently reflected  on  the  matter;  fourthly,  the  object  of  the 
vow  must  be  something  good;  and  fifthly,  the  vow  must  be 
possible  of  fulfillment.  If  one  of  these  conditions  be  want- 
ing, the  vow  is  not  lawful;  for  example,  to  take  a  vow  to 
kill  some  one  is  unlawful,  or  for  a  poor  person  to  vow  to 
give  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  charity.  In  the  first 
place  to  kill  some  one  is  an  evil  act ;  and  in  the  second  case 
it  would  be  impossible  for  a  poor  person  to  have  that  sum 
of  money. 

Those  who  take  lawful  oaths  are  bound  in  conscience 
to  keep  them.  The  Church,  however,  in  certain  cases  can 
commute  vows  or  abrogate  them;  for  to  her  it  was  said: 
"Whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth,  shalt  be  bound 


THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT  231 

also  in  heaven ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth 
shalt  be  loosed  also  in  heaven." 

My  Brethren,  let  us  firmly  resolve  this  morning  never 
to  take  God's  name  in  vain,  or  the  name  of  our  Divine 
Saviour.  Remember,  that  God  is  the  Infinite,  Perfect  Being 
upon  Whom  we  depend  for  life  and  existence.  He  is  that 
Being  Who  filleth  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  and  holdeth 
all  things  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand.  The  blessed  in  heaven 
keep  singing  unceasingly.  "Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God." 
Remember,  the  name  of  Jesus  originated  in  heaven  and  was 
brought  to  this  earth  by  an  angel.  It  was  borne  by  our 
Redeemer.  In  the  name  of  Jesus  the  Apostles  preached  the 
gospel.  By  it  devils  were  cast  out,  the  sick  were  healed 
and  the  dead  raised  to  life.  At  that  name  the  angels  in 
heaven  bow  and  cover  their  heads.  In  no  other  name  is  sal- 
vation given. 

My  Brethren,  let  us  look  upon  oaths  and  vows  as  the 
most  sacred  acts  we  can  perform  on  earth.  And  conse- 
quently never  take  them  rashly  and  always  fulfill  them.  As 
regards  blasphemy,  I  cannot  understand  how  any  Catholic 
in  his  right  mind  could  be  guilty  of  it.  To  imprecate  real 
evil  upon  ourselves  or  others,  or  to  impute  evil  or  wicked- 
ness to  God,  for  a  Christian  or  Catholic  is  beyond  compre- 
hension ! 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren-. — The    Third    Commandment    is: — 
"Remember  thou,  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day."     God,  my 
brethren,  is  our  first  beginning  and  our  last  end ;  we  depend 
totally  and  entirely  upon  Him;  in  His  name,  and  by  His 
power,  kings  and  princes    rule    and    reign.      Reason    then 
teaches  us  that  sometime  should  be  set  aside  for  private  and 
public  worship.     This  precept  of  natural  religion  was  con- 
firmed and  made    definite    by    revelation.      For   Moses    on 
Mount  Sinai,  speaking  in  the  Name  of  God  said:  "Remem- 
ber thou,  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day".     The  time  and  the 
ceremonial  part  of  the  precept  have  been  changed  under  the 
Christian  dispensation.    Instead  of  the  last  day  of  the  week 
in  commemoration  of  the  completion  of  the  work  of  creation 
and  our  eternal  rest  which  was  kept  under  the  Old  Law,  we 
keep  holy  under  the  New  Law,  the  first  day  of  the  week,  in 
commemoration  of  the  beginning  of  the  work  of  the  crea- 
tion, the  Resurrection  of  Christ  and  the  Descent  of  the 
Holy  Ghost;  and  also  to  teach  us  that  the  ceremonial  part 
of  the  Old  Law  is  no  longer  obligatory.    Instead  of  offering 
up  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Law  we  offer  up  the  great  Sacrifice 
of  the  New  Law,  Jesus  Christ,  the  spotless  Lamb  of  God. 
My  Brethren,  by  the  Third  Commandment  we  are  com- 
manded to  be  present  on  Sundays  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of 
the  Mass,  unless  excused  by  a  serious  reason.     We  must 
be  present  too,  in  body  and  in  soul.    By  bodily  presence,  we 
mean  that  we  form  one  body  with  the  congregation  and  are 
able  to  distinguish  the  principal  parts  of  the  Mass.     Hence, 
he  who   remains  outside  the  Church,  separated  from   the 
rest  of  the  congregation  and  does  not  see  the  altar,  nor  hear 
the  priest,   is   not  physically   present,   and  does  not  hear 
Mass.     This  presence   too,  must  -be  continued  throughout 
the  whole  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.     As  for  example,  he  who 
should  come  into  church  at  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel 
and  leave  immediately    after    Communion,    does    not    hear 
232 


THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT  233 

Mass.  Or  again,  he  who  should  not  get  to  Church  before 
the  Offertory  of  the  Mass,  or  should  not  be  present  during 
the  Canon  of  the  Mass,  or  during  the  Consecration,  or  from 
the  Consecration  to  the  Pater  Noster,  does  not  hear  Mass. 
To  fulfill  the  obligation  we  must  be  present  in  mind.  Hence, 
we  are  forbidden  to  do  anything  during  Mass  which  would 
prevent  this.  As  for  example,  the  man  who  sleeps  during 
Mass,  or  has  his  mind  on  business  or  pleasure,  or  reads 
some  book,  or  continually  gazes  around,  does  not  hear  Mass. 
Moreover,  to  fulfill  the  obligation  we  must  either  pay  atten- 
tion to  the  priest,  or  the  ceremonies,  or  the  mystical  signi- 
fication, or  be  reading  our  prayer  books,  telling  the  beads 
or  saying  some  other  prayers. 

My  Brethren,  the  following  reasons  may  excuse  us 
from  the  obligation  of  hearing  Mass  on  Sunday.  First, 
physical  inability,  as  for  example,  a  person  who  is  sick; 
secondly,  moral  inability,  as  for  example,  workmen  who 
are  obliged  to  work  on  Sundays  in  order  to  hold  their  posi- 
tions, servants  who  are  forbidden  by  their  masters  to  go  to 
Mass,  "those  who  are  obliged  to  work  on  Sundays  for  the 
public  accommodation,  as  engineers,  conductors,  etc.,  and 
those  who  have  started  on  a  journey  and  cannot  interrupt 
it;  thirdly,  charity,  as  for  example,  those  who  are  taking 
care  of  the  sick;  and  fourthly,  custom,  as  for  example,  in 
certain  localities  widows  remain  indoors  during  the  first 
month  of  their  widowhood.  In  fine,  we  may  say,  that  any 
reason  is  sufficient  which  would  entail  upon  us  or  our 
neighbor  loss  of  some  real,  temporal  or  spiritual  good. 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Third  Commandment,  we  are  for- 
bidden to  perform  on  Sunday  any  unnecessary  servile  work. 
By  unnecessary,  we  mean  work  that  could  be  postponed 
without  much  temporal  injury  to  any  one.  And  by  servile 
we  mean  work  that  is  accustomed  to  be  performed  by  ser- 
vants; hence,  work  that  is  performed  by  the  hands  and  on 
account  of  the  good  of  the  body,  as  for  example,  to  plow, 
sow  or  reap,  to  wash,  mend,  iron  or  to  clean  house,  to  build 
or  repair  houses  or  machinery;  these  works  are  servile  and 
are  forbidden  on  Sunday. 

But  my  Brethren,  we  are  not  forbidden  to  perform 
works  of  the  mind  on  Sunday,  or  to  take^  innocent  recrea- 
tion. As  for  example,  we  are  not  forbidden  to  study,  to 


234  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT 

read,  to  write  or  to  dictate  letters  on  Sunday  or  to  paint,  to 
play  musical  instruments  or  to  sing.  We  are  not  forbidden 
on  Sunday  to  play  innocent  games  as  cards,  checkers,  domi- 
noes, etc.  We  are  not  forbidden  to  ride  in  the  street  cars 
on  Sunday,  or  to  take  an  automobile  ride  or  a  carriage 
drive.  After  we  have  assisted  at  Mass,  heard  an  instruction 
or  sermon,  visited  the  sick,  given  some  time  to  spiritual 
reading  and  assisted  at  the  other  public  services,  we  may 
indulge  in  these  recreations,  and  not  only  do  not  sin,  but 
please  God  in  so  doing. 

My  Dear  Brethren,  God  has  given  us  six  days  of  the 
week  to  give  to  the  world  and  to  the  care  of  our  bodies,  and 
shall  we  not  give  one  day  to  Him  and  to  our  souls?  What 
is  this  world  and  time  compared  with  Heaven  and  eternity? 
Can  our  body  and  its  wants  be  compared  with  the  soul  and 
its  needs  ?  Yet  we  find  thousands  of  men  and  women  giving 
not  only  six,  but  seven  days  of  every  week  to  the  world  and 
the  body.  Among  them  we  find  some  Catholics,  too,  not- 
withstanding what  God  has  said: — "What  will  it  profit  a 
man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his 
soul?  Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?" 

My  Dear  Brethren,  the  Mass  is  the  representation  and 
continuation  of  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Cross.  By  it  and  it 
alone,  we  give  infinite  adoration,  and  thanksgiving  to  God. 
By  it  there  is  applied  to  individual  souls  the  fruit  of  Cal- 
vary's Cross.  Christ  is  the  victim  that  is  being  offered  up; 
Christ  is  the  High  Priest;  He  sheds  there  mystically  His 
blood;  He  renews  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Cross.  Do  Catho- 
lics who  miss  Mass  on  Sunday  believe  this?  How  eagerly 
and  with  what  reverence  and  recollection  we  should  have  wit- 
nessed the  scene  that  took  place  on  Mount  Calvary  nine- 
teen hundred  years  ago,  when  Jeus  Christ,  our  God  and 
Lord,  shed  His  blood  to  redeem  and  save  us!  Yet,  substan- 
tially the  same  scene  is  being  enacted  before  our  eyes  every 
Sunday.  It  is  almost  beyond  comprehension  how  any  Cath- 
olic can  be  willingly  distracted  or  irreverent  during  the 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  or  absent  himself  from  it!  Yet,  sad 
to  say,  in  every  parish  there  are  not  a  few  Catholics  who 
do  so.  My  brethren,  let  me  exhort  you  to  examine  your- 
selves seriously  on  this  commandment,  and  to  take  some 
practical  resolutions  for  the  future. 


SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE. 

PREACHED  AT  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION  CHURCH, 

MONTGOMERY,  W.  VAV  DURING  A  NON-CATHOLIC 

MISSION. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends : — The  Infalli- 
bility of  the  Pope  is  another  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church 
which  is  a  great  bugbear  to  many  non-Catholics.  This 
comes  because  the  doctrine  is  not  understood.  It  is  con- 
fused with  impeccability,  inspiration  and  revelation;  and 
hence  people  throw  up  their  hands  in  horror  when  the  doc- 
trine of  Infallibility  is  mentioned. 

The  Infallibility  of  the  Pope  does  not  mean  that  the 
Pope  is  sinless  or  incapable  of  sinning.  According  to  Cath- 
olic theology  there  was  only  one  sinless  creature,  and  that 
person  is  the  Blessed  Virgin,  who  was  exempted  from 
sin  in  her  conception,  and  kept  free  from  it  during  her 
life,  on  account  of  Him  Whom  she  brought  forth  into  the 
world,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  The  Pope  is 
born  in  sin,  and  like  every  other  Catholic,  frequents  the 
Sacrament  of  Penance. 

The  Infallibility  of  the  Pope  does  not  mean  that  new 
revelations  from  heaven  are  made  to  him.  No;  the  Catho- 
lic Church  teaches  that  the  revelations  from  heaven  to  man, 
ceased,  with  the  death  of  the  last  Apostle.  Consequently, 
the  whole  deposit  of  revealed  truth  was  completed  at  the 
end  of  the  First,  or  at  the  beginning  of  the  Second  Century, 
when  St.  John  on  the  island  of  Patmos  wrote  the  Apoc- 
alypse, the  last  of  the  revelations. 

The  Infallibility  of  the  Pope  does  not  mean  inspiration ; 
that  is,  it  does  not  mean  that  the  Pope  is  moved  to  write 
and  to  declare  revealed  truth  and  that  he  is  guided  whilst 
doing  so  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Infallibility  is  something 
more  negative,  than  positive  in  its  nature.  It  simply  im- 
plies such  divine  assistance  as  will  enable  the  Pope  to  find 
out  what  is  revealed  truth,  and  consequently  will  keep  him 

235 


236          SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBLITY  OF  THE  POPE 

from  declaring  that  a  certain  doctrine  has  been  revealed 
when  it  has  not,  or  that  a  certain  doctrine  has  not  been 
revealed  when  it  has  been. 

Moreover,  my  Dear  Friends,  the  Pope  does  not  enjoy 
this  gift  at  all  times  and  on  all  occasions.  It  is  only 
when  he  speaks  "Ex  cathedra,,'  which  implies  first,  that  he 
speaks  as  pastor  and  doctor  of  the  Universal  Church; 
secondly,  that  he  speaks  on  matters  of  faith  and  morals; 
and  thirdly,  that  the  declaration  is  intended  to  bind  all 
the  faithful.  A  word  or  two  about  these  conditions.  The 
Pope  as  a  private  person  or  private  doctor  does  not  enjoy 
Infallibility.  Hence,  in  familiar  conversation,  in  public  ex- 
hortation or  in  books  written  by  him,  the  Pope  is  just  as 
liable  to  make  a  mistake  as  any  other  doctor  of  the  Church. 
The  Pope's  Infallibility  is  confined  to  those  things  which 
the  faithful  .must  believe,  and  do,  in  order  to  be  saved. 
Therefore,  if  the  Pope  wrote  a  book  on  science,  or  history, 
or  art,  Catholics  would  be  allowed  to  criticise  it  just  as 
freely  as  a  book  written  by  any  other  man.  It  would  have 
just  so  much  value  and  worth  as  the  authority  of  the  Pope 
on  those  subjects.  In  order  that  the  decree  of  the  Pope  may 
be  infallible  it  must  be  manifest  that  he  intends  to  oblige 
the  Universal  Church.  But  for  this  it  is  not  necessary  that 
the  Pope  directly  and  immediately  address  the  whole 
Church;  for  when  writing  to  a  particular  Church,  he  could 
intend  to  define  a  doctrine  for  the  Universal  Church. 

Infallibility  then,  my  Dear  Friends,  understood  in  the 
sense  in  which  I  have  explained  it,  is  not  such  a  stupend- 
ous gift  and  wonderful  privilege  and  you  can  see  that  most 
of  the  objections  to  it  come  from  a  misunderstanding  of  it. 
Surrounded  by  such  conditions  it  is  not  difficult  to  believe 
it;  yea,  it  is  much  easier  to  accept  it  than  many  other 
doctrines  of  Christianity. 

The  doctrine  of  Papal  Infallibility,  like  the  other  doc- 
trines of  the  Church,  rests  upon  the  Scriptures,  is  taught 
by  tradition  and  is  confirmed  by  reason.  To  show  this  we 
shall  now  devote  a  little  time. 

In  St.  Matthew,  (Chapter  XVI,  verses  13,  14,  15,  16,  17 
and  18)  we  read:  "And  Jesus  came  into  the  quarters  of 


SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OP  THE  POPE          237 

Cesarea  Philippi;  and  He  asked  His  disciples,  saying: 
'Whom  do  men  say  that  the  Son  of  Man  is?'  But  they  said: 
'Some,  John  the  Baptist,  and  others  Elias,  and  others  Jere- 
mias,  or  one  of  the  prophets.'  Jesus  saith  to  them :  'But 
whom  do  you  say  that  I  am?'  Simon  Peter  answered  and 
said:  'Thou  art  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Living  God.'  And 
Jesus  answered,  and  said  to  him:  'Blessed  art  thou,  Simon 
Barjona;  because  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  to 
thee,  but  My  Father  who  is  in  heaven.'  'And  I  say  to  Thee : 
That  thou  art  Peter;  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  My 
Church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it. 
And  I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.' 
'And  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound 
also  in  heaven ;  and  Avhatsoever  thou  shall  loose  on  earth,  it 
shall  be  loosed  also  in  heaven.'  " 

My  Dear  Friends,  let  us  look  at  these  texts;  they  are 
simple;  what  ideas  do  those  words  convey?    First,  you  will 
observe  that  the  question  put  to  the  disciples  by  Christ  is 
concerning  the  most  fundamental  docrtine  of  Christianity; 
namely,  who  is  He?   Hence,  it  is  about  an  article  of  faith. 
Some  had  said  He  was  John  the  Baptist,  others,  Elias,  and 
a  third  class,  Jeremias.    They  were  all  mistaken.    He  turns 
to    His    apostles    and    He  says:      "But    whom    do    you 
say  that  I  am?"    Remember,  He  did  not  address  this  ques- 
tion personally  to  Peter.     He  asked  them  collectively.     But 
Peter  comes  forward  and  answers   for  the  rest.     And   in 
that  answer  was  found  the  true  doctrine — "Thou  art  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  Living  God;"  and  what  did  Christ  say  to 
Peter?     Note   the  words  which  follow:  "Blessed  art  thou, 
Simon  Barjona;  because  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed 
it  to  thee,  but  My  Father  Who  is  in  heaven.''     In  other 
words,  Christ  said  that  Peter  did  not  get  this  knowledge 
in  a  natural  way,  but  through  assistance  from  heaven,  in 
a  supernatural  way.    But  that  is  not  all;  Christ  continues: 
"And  I  say  to  thee:  Thou  art  Peter;  and  upon  this  rock  I 
will  build  My  Church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  it.     And  I  will  give  to  thee  the  keys  of  the 
Kingdom  of  heaven."   Christ  gives  Simon   Barjona  a  new 
name;  He  calls  him  Peter,  which  means  a  rock;  and  He  says, 
upon  him,  as  a  rock,  He  will  build  His  Church,  comparing 
him  to  a  solid  foundation  stone.    In  what  way  will  he  be  the 


238 


foundation  of  the  Church  ?  Remember  the  context ;  Peter  cor- 
rected the  errors  concerning  the  Christ,  and  gave  the  true 
doctrine ;  and  remember  what  follows :  "And  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  it,"  that  is,  error  shall  not  over- 
come the  Church,  because  Peter  and  his  successors  will 
always  teach  it  sound  doctrine.  They  will  be  the  spiritual 
foundation  of  the  Church,  a  rock  against  which  the  gates 
of  hell,  or  false  doctrine  and  morals  will  strike  and  beat  in 
vain — in  other  words,  they  will  be  infallible. 

In  the  gospel  by  St  Luke  (Chapter  XXII,  verses  31 
and  32),  we  read  again:  "And  the  Lord  said:  'Simon, 
Simon,  behold  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you  that  he  may 
sift  you  as  wheat ;  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not,  and  thou,  being  once  converted,  confirm  thy 
brethren'." 

Now  my  Dear  Friends,  you  will  observe  that  Christ  first 
addressed  all  the  Apostles  in  the  person  of  Simon — "Behold 
Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you."  You  will  find  the  word 
"you"  used  twice — "that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat."  What 
do  these  words  mean?  That  the  Apostles  may  be  so  in 
the  power  of  the  devil  that  he  may  make  them  teach  any- 
thing. You  will  note  what  follows— "I  have  prayed  for 
thee" — not  for  you — but  for  "thee  Simon,  that  thy  faith 
fail  thee  not." 

In  the  second  clause  of  the  sentence  we  have  the  words 
"thee"  and  "thy".  Christ  prays  that  Peter's  faith  fail  not, 
that  is,  that  the  devil  may  not  be  able  to  lead  him  into  error. 
Surely  Christ's  prayer  was  heard.  And  why  does  Christ 
wish  Peter's  faith  to  remain  always  sound?  That  if  the 
other  Apostles'  faith  become  shaken,  Peter  may  confirm  it: 
"And  thou  being  once  converted,  confirm  thy  brethren,"  that 
is,  if  thy  brethren  depart  from  the  sound  faith,  thou  by 
virtue  of  my  prayer,  remaining  always  sound  in  faith,  shall 
correct  them,  shall  teach  them  the  true  faith. 

To  St.  Peter  is  promised  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Heaven.  Although  to  the  other  Apostles  there  had  been 
given  power  to  bind  and  loose;  yet  to  St.  Peter  alone  was 
given  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  which  means 
supreme  jurisdiction.  And  remember,  the  promise  was 


SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OP  THE  POPE          239 

made  immediately  after  he  had  been  constituted  the  rock 
on  which  the  Church  would  be  built. 

But  perhaps  some  will  say  that  this  power  was  conferred 
upon  Peter  alone  and  was  not  to  pass  down  to  his  successors. 
In  the  first  place,  we  answer  that  we  read  nowhere  in  the 
Scriptures  that  it  was  limited  to  Peter.  In  the  second 
place,  we  answer  that  the  other  eleven  Apostles  and  first 
pastors  were  under  the  direct  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  needed  much  less  this  correcting  power  than  their  suc- 
cessors. And  in  the  third  place,  we  answer,  that  as  the 
Church  spread  and  embraced  all  nations  and  people,  there 
would  be  much  more  danger  of  error  creeping  into  the 
Church;  and  as  the  teachers  and  people  lived  farther  away 
from  the  apostolic  times  the  more  difficult  it  would  be  for 
them  to  discover  the  true  faith;  consequently  there  was  a 
much  greater  and  more  urgent  necessity  for  the  successors 
of  St.  Peter  to  be  endowed  with  this  gift  than  he." 

In  the  gospel  of  St.  John  (Chapter  XXI,  verses  15  and 
16),  we  read  that  Jesus  after  the  Resurrection  appeared  to 
the  disciples  whilst  they  were  dining  and  said  to  Peter: 
"Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me  more  than  these?-'  He 
saith  to  Him :  'Yea,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  Thee'. 
He  saith  to  him:  'Feed  my  lambs.'  He  saith  to  him  again: 
'Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me?'  He  saith  to  Him; 
'Yea,  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.'  He  saith  to  him : 
'Feed  my  lambs.'  He  said  to  him  the  third  time:  'Simon, 
son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me?'  And  he  said  to  Him:  'Lord, 
thou  knowest  all  things ;  thou  knowest  that  I  love  thee.'  He 
said  to  him :  'Feed  my  sheep.'  " 

My  Dear  Friends,  you  remember  the  promise  made  to 
Peter  by  Christ,  that  he  was  to  be  the  rock  upon  which  the 
Church  was  to  be  built,  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  were 
not  to  prevail.  The  promise  was  made  before  the  death  of 
Christ.  Now  Christ  is  risen  from  the  dead,  and  is  about  to 
return  to  the  Father,  and  He  fulfils  that  promise.  Here 
He  confers  upon  Peter  spiritual  supremacy,  supremacy  not 
only  over  the  faithful  who  are  signified  by  the  lambs,  but 
over  the  teachers  also,  who  are  signified  by  the  sheep.  The 
sheep  and  the  lambs  at  all  times  need  the  shepherd,  and 


240          SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE 

the  gates  of  hell  are  always  swung  open,  ready  to  close  in 
upon  the  church. 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  Apostolic  Age,  and  to  the  ages 
which  immediately  follow  it  to  see  what  traces  of  the  doc- 
trine we  may  find  therein.  First  of  all,  I  wish  to  call  your 
attention  to  the  fact  that  although  Peter  was  not  the  first 
called  to  the  Apostleship,  nevertheless,  we  find  his  name 
always  heading  the  list  of  the  Apostles  when  enumerated 
in  the  gospels.  And  in  reading  the  "Acts  of  the  Apostles", 
we  find  that  St.  Peter  was  the  first  to  address  the  assembled 
multitude  after  the  Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  he 
was  the  first  to  work  miracles ;  that  he  was  the  first  apostle 
who  pronounced  sentence  against  Ananias  and  Sapphira; 
that  he  was  the  one  to  whom  the  vision  was  given  concern- 
ing the  calling  of  the  Gentiles;  that  he  was  the  first  to 
receive  them  into  the  Church;  and  that  he  wa-s  the  first  to 
address  the  council  assembled  at  Jerusalem,  composed  of 
Apostles  and  Ancients. 

And  any  one  who  is  ever  so  slightly  acquainted  with 
the  Fathers  of  the  first  Five  Centuries  cannot  deny  that 
they  bear  witness  to  the  Church's  belief  in  tht*  supremacy 
and  infallibility  of  St.  Peter.  They  call  him  the  ''Rock 
whereon  the  Church  was  built;"  "The  most  solid  rock  of 
the  Church;"  "The  rock  against  which  the  gates  of  hell 
are  not  to  prevail;"  "The  principle  of  unity;"  "The 
Coryphaeus," — "Head  of  the  Apostles;"  "The  chiefest  among 
the  Apostles;"  "The  tongue  and  the  eye  of  the  Apostles;" 
"The  prince  of  the  Apostles;"  "The  first  among  the  Apos- 
tles." Such  names  unmistakably  teach  the  supremacy  and 
infallibility  of  Peter.  But' do  the  Fathers  of  the  first  Five 
Centuries  teach  the  same  concerning  the  successors  of  St. 
Peter,  the  Bishop  of  Rome?  I  answer,  they  do.  I  should 
like  very  much  if  it  did  not  take  too  much  time  and  become 
tiresome,  to  read  to  you,  all  the  testimonies  of  those  great 
men  on  this  point,  but  I  must  confine  myself  to  quoting 
one  from  each  Century. 

Ignatius  of  the  First  Century  in  a  letter  to  the  Romans 
wrote:  "Ignatius,  which  is  also  Theophorus  to  the  Church, 
which  hath  found  mercy  in  the  majesty  of  the  Father  most 
high,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  His  only  Son,  (to  the  Church), 


SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE          241 

beloved  and  enlightened  in  the  will  of  Him  Who  willeth  all 
things,  which  are  according  to  the  love  of  Jesus  Christ 
our  God,  and  which  (Church)  has  forcmcst  station  (or 
presides)  in  the  place  of  the  Romans,  all  godly,  all  gracious, 
all  blessed,  all  praise,  all  prospering,  all  hallowed,  and 
having  first  place  (presiding)  in  love,  with  the  name  of 
Christ,  with  the  name  of  the  Father,  which  (Church)  I  greet 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ." 

St.  Irenaeus,  of  the  Second  Century,  in  a  work  against 
heresies,  thus  wrote:  "To  this  Church (  Rome)  on  account 
of  a  more  powerful  principality,  it  is  necessary  that  every 
Church,  that  is,  those  who  are  on  every  side  faithful,  re- 
sort, in  which  (Church)  always  by  those,  who  are  on  every 
side.,  has  been  preserved,  that  tradition,  which  is  from  Apos- 
tles *****  By  this  order  and  by  this  succession  both  that 
tradition  which  is  in  the  Church  from  the  Apostles  and  the 
preaching  of  the  truth,  have  come  down  to  us." 

St.  Cyprian,  of  the  Third  Century,  in  a  letter  to  An- 
tonius  writes :  "Moreover,  after  all  this,  a  pseudo  Bishop, 
having  been  set  up  for  themselves  by  heretics  they  dare  to 
sail  and  to  carry  letters  from  schismatics  and  profane  per- 
sons to  the  chair  of  Peter,  and  to  the  principal  Church, 
whence' the  unity  of  the  priesthood  took  its  rise;  nor  did 
they  consider  that  the  Romans  are  those,  whose  faith  was 
praised  in  the  preaching  of  the  Apostles — to  whom  faithful- 
ness cannot  have  access." 

St.  Jerome  of  the  Fourth  Century  in  a  letter  to  Pope 
Damascus  thus  writes :  "From  a  priest,  a  victim  asks 
safety ;  from  a  shepherd  a  sheep  asks  protection ;  envy 
avaunt;  away  with  the  pride  of  the  topmost  dignity  of 
Rome;  /  speak  with  the  fisherman's  successor,  and  with  the 
disciple  of  the  cross.  Following  no  chief  but  Christ,  /  am 
joined  in  communion  with  your  Holiness,  that  is  with  the 
chair  of  Peter.  Upon  that  rock  I  knoir  that  the  Church  is 
built."  *  *  * 

"Whosoever  eats  the  lamb  out  of  this  house  is  profane. 
If  any  be  not  in  the  ark  of  Xoe  he  will  perish  whilst  the 
deluge  prevaileth.  And  as  for  my  sins,  I  have  wandered 
through  that  desert  which  bounds  Syria,  and  I  cannot 
at  all  times  with  such  a  distance  between  us,  ask  for  the 


242          SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OP  THE  POPE 

holy  of  the  Lord,  at  the  hands  of  your  Holiness,  therefore, 
do  I  here  follow  your  colleagues,  the  Egyptian  confessors, 
and  my  little  skiff  lies  concealed  beneath  those  deeply  laden 
vessels.  I  know  not  Vitalis;  I  repudiate  Meletius;  I  am 
a  stranger  to  Paulinus.  Whosoever  gathereth  not  with  thee 
scattcreth ,  that  is,  whosoever  is  not  of  Christ,  is  of  anti- 
Christ." 

Theodoret  of  the  Fifth  Century,  in  a  letter  to  Pope 
Leo  said :  "If  Paul,  the  herald  of  the  truth,  that  trumpet 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  repaired  to  Peter  to  bring  from  him  an 
explanation  to  those  of  Antioch,  who  were  disputing  con- 
cerning questions  of  the  law,  with  mu'ch  greater  reason  do 
we,  who  are  so  worthless  and  lowly,  hasten  to  your  Apos- 
tolic throne,  to  receive  from  you  a  cure  for  the  wounds 
of  the  Church,  for  it  pertains  to  you  to  hold  the  primacy 
in  all  things." 

To  the  testimony  of  the  Fathers  we  may  add  an  argu- 
ment taken  from  the  line  of  conduct  pursued  by  the  Bish- 
ops of  Rome  during  these  same  centuries  with  respect  to 
the  whole  Church,  and  the  action  of  the  Councils.  During 
these  first  ages  the  Roman  Pontiffs  outside  of  General 
Councils  condemned  heresies,  which  implied  the  doctrine  of 
Papal  Infallibility.  Thus  in  the  year  140  we  find  Pope 
Hygimus  condemning  the  heresies  of  Valentinus  and 
Cerdo;  thus  about  the  year  215  we  find  Pope  Zepherinus 
condemning  the  heresies  of  the  Montanists;  about  the  year 
254  we  find  Pope  Cornelius  condemning  the  errors  of  the 
Novatians;  about  the  year  273  Pope  Felix  condemns  Paul 
of  Samosata;  about  the  year  416  Pope  Vincent  the  First, 
condemned  Pelagius;  and  about  the  year  430  Pope  Celes- 
tine  the  First,  condemned  the  errors  of  Nestorius. 

In  the  Fourth  Ecumenical  Council,  which  was  held  at 
Chalcedon,  in  the  year  451,  and  attended  by  over  six  hundred 
bishops,  after  the  dogmatic  epistle  of  Pope  Leo  the  Great,  had 
been  read,  the  assembled  bishops  cried  out :  "This  is  the  faith 
of  our  fathers !  This  is  the  faith  of  the  Apostles !  All  of  us 
have  this  belief!  Peter  has  spoken  by  Leo !"  And  in  the  Sixth 
Ecumenical  Council  which  was  held  at  Constantinople  in 
the  year  080,  the  dogmatic  epistle  of  Pope  Agatho  was  re- 


SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE          243 

ceived  by  the  assembled  Fathers  with  the  acclamation: 
"This  is  the  voice  of  Peter."  And  going  down  the  ages  we 
find  that  the  Popes  were  the  last  court  of  appeal  of  priests 
against  their  bishops,  of  bishops  against  their  metropoli- 
tans, and  of  metropolitans,  against  Provincial  Councils. 
Moreover,  we  find  that  all  Ecumenical  or  General  Councils 
of  the  Church  (and  there  have  been  twenty)  were  either 
convoked  by  the  Pope  and  presided  over  by  his  legates,  or 
if  assembled  without  his  authority,  before  they  could  be. 
recognized  as  Ecumenical  and  their  decrees  binding,  must 
have  his  official  sanction. 

All  this  teaches  implicitly  the  doctrine  of  Papal  Infal- 
libility. 

Before  I  conclude,  my  Dear  Friends,  I  wish  to  put  be- 
fore you  a  short  argument  taken  from  reason  in  support 
of  the  Infallibility  of  the  Pope.  All  must  admit  that  the 
Church  is  a  society  instituted  by  Christ  to  continue  His 
work  until  the  end  of  time.  Now  we  know  from  the  gospels, 
that  Christ  preached  certain  doctrines  which  He  wished  all 
to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  and  to  continue  in  that  know- 
ledge. In  other  words  it  is  the  will  of  Christ  that  there 
should  be  unity  of  faith  among  His  followers.  But  with- 
out an  infallible  head  over  the  Church,  unity  can  be  pre- 
served only  with  the  greatest  difficulty;  yea,  we  hold  that 
it  will  be  next  to  a  moral  impossibility,  to  preserve  it.  And 
why?  Because  controversies,  disputes  and  strifes  are  bound 
to  arise  within  the  Church,  and  unless  there  be  a  tribunal 
— and  an  infallible  tribunal — to  which  they  are  bound  ta 
listen,  and  against  which  there  can  be  no  appeal,  division 
will  at  once  set  in. 

Moreover,  if  this  tribunal  be  fallible,  what  right  has 
it  to  command  obedience?  It  is  no  better  guide  than  man's 
individual  reason.  It  will  surely  too,  in  the  course  of  time 
contradict  itself.  Ecumenical  Councils  can  be  assembled 
only  with  great  difficulty  and  trouble,  and  after  a  long 
time.  And  whilst  they  are  being  convoked  and  assembled, 
heresy  could  have  already  made  inroads  on  the  Church  and 
thus  unity  would  at  least  for  a  time  be  destroyed.  But 
with  the  infallibility  of  the  Supreme  Bishop,  as  soon  as 
heresy  and  division  show  their  heads,  they  can  be 


244          SERMON  ON  THE  INFALLIBILITY  OF  THE  POPE 

met  with  an  anathema,  and  the  true  doctrine  set  forth.  This 
has  been  the  history  of  the  Church,  and  only  in  extreme 
cases  have  the  Popes  without  a  Council  condemned  heresy 
and  announced  the  Apostolic  revealed  faith. 

It  is  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope  that  begets  that  cer 
tainty  and  calmness  of  faith  among  Catholics.  We  believe 
that  the  Holy  Ghost,  working  through  the  head  of  the 
Church,  will  never  allow  error  to  fasten  itself  upon  her. 
And  if  at  times  things  look  dark  and  threatening,  we  know 
that  Christ  is  but  sleeping  in  Peter's  bark,  and  that  He 
will  arise  and  say  to  the  storm  and  the  waves,  "Peace,  be 
still",  and  a  great  calm  will  ensue,  and  the  Church  will 
pass  on  her  journey  across  the  trackless  ocean  of  time  until 
she  sails  into  the  Eternal  Port  of  Heaven. — No  certain  faith 
without  an  infallible  Church,  and  no  infallible  Church 
without  an  infallible  head! 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — The  first  three  Commandments 
pointed  out  our  duties  towards  God;  the  last  seven,  the 
first  of  which  we  begin  today,  point  out  our  duties  towards 
our  fellow  man.  The  Fourth  Commandment,  ''Honor  thy 
father  and  thy  mother",  is  most  important;  its  commands 
are  manifold;  and  before  I  have  finished  it  you  will  see 
how  some  part  or  other  of  it  touches  almost  every  member 
of  this  congregation. 

Its  commands  first  concern  children — their  duties  and 
obligations  towards  parents.  The  first  duty  of  children 
— and  by  children  I  mean  even  grown  up  sons  and  daughters 
— is  love,  filial  love.  We  must  love  our  parents.  The  nat- 
ural and  divine  law  both  command  this.  From  our  parents 
we  have  received  existence.  They  were  the  instruments  in 
the  hands  of  God  of  bringing  us  into  this  world.  Jesus,  the 
son  of  Sirach,  under  inspiration  wrote  in  the  Book  of  Ec- 
clesiasticus :  "Remember  that  thou  hast  not  been  born 
but  through  them;  and  make  a  return  to  them  as  they  have 
done  for  thee."  Hence  those  children  who  hate  their  par- 
ents or  cause  them  great  sorrow  or  treat  them  cruelly  or 
unjustly  or  calumniate  them,  sin  not  only  against  charity, 
but  against  filial  piety.  By  the  Fourth  Commandment  we 
are  commanded  to  reverence  and  honor  our  parents.  And 
by  reverence  we  mean  that  we  must  acknowledge  their  dig- 
nity; and  by  honor  we  mean  that  we  must  acknowledge 
their  preeminence  by  words  and  acts.  Hence,  we  sin  against 
reverence  and  honor  when  we  despise  them  or  refuse  to  give 
them  the  accustomed  marks  of  honor.  We  sin  against  rev- 
erence and  honor,  when  we  treat  them  with  contempt  or 
curse  them,  or  provoke  them  to  great  anger  or  strike  them 
or  accuse  them  of  some  crime.  By  the  Fourth  Command- 
ment we  are  commanded  to  obey  our  parents.  We  must 
obey  them  in  those  things  which  concern  the  regulation  of 
our  homes,  which  pertain  to  good  morals  and  the  salvation 
of  our  souls.  As  regards  good  morals  and  salvation,  even 
after  we  have  grown  to  manhood  and  womanhood,  we  must 

obey  them.     As  regards  home  we  must  obey  them  in  those 

245 


246  THB  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT 

things  as  long  as  we  remain  under  the  parental  roof.  Hence, 
we  sin  by  staying  out  late  at  night  when  we  are  forbid- 
den to  do  so,  or  by  keeping  bad  company,  or  by  refusing  to 
go  to  the  Sacraments  or  Mass,  when  we  are  commanded  to 
do  so  by  our  parents.  But,  my  brethren,  if  our  parents 
command  us  to  do  something  wrong,  then  we  must 
refuse  to  obey  them.  We  must  answer  them  in  the  words 
of  the  Apostles,  "We  must  obey  God  rather  than  man."  As 
for  example,  if  parents  were  to  forbid  their  children  to  go 
to  the  Catholic  School,  or  to  forbid  them  to  enter  religion,  or 
to  study  for  the  priesthood — their  rights  over  their  children 
cease — they  must  be  resisted;  God,  speaking  through  the 
Church  and  ecclesiastical  authority,  must  be  obeyed,  rather 
than  parents. 

My  Brethren,  under  this  head  of  children  and  parents 
come  the  duties  of  servants  to  their  masters,  pupils  to  their 
teachers,  subjects  to  their  superiors  and  especially  the 
faithful  to  their  pastors.  As  masters,  teachers,  and  supe- 
riors for  the  time  being,  hold  the  place  of  parents  and  are 
endowed  with  their  authority,  all  those  under  them,  owe 
them  at  least  reverence,  respect  and  obedience  as  explained 
above,  with  certain  limitations.  Like  children  towards  their 
parents,  the  faithful  towards  their  pastors  are  bound  by 
special  laws.  As  their  spiritual  parents  performing  for  the 
faithful  the  same  offices  in  the  spiritual  order,  as  parents 
do  for  children  in  the  natural  order  there  is  owed  to  them, 
love,  respect,  reverence  and  obedience.,  St.  Paul  speaking 
to  the  Hebrews:  "Obey  your  prelates  and  be  subject  to 
them.  For  they  watch  as  being  to  render  an  account  of 
your  souls;  that  they  may  do  this  with  joy  and  not  with 
grief";  and  Christ  said:  "He  that  heareth  you  heareth  Me, 
and  he  that  despiseth  you  despiseth  Me;  and  he  that  despis- 
eth  Me,  despiseth  him  that  sent  Me." 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Fourth  Commandment  parents 
are  commanded  to  love  their  offspring  with  a  true  and  last- 
ing love.  Nature  teaches  us  this  truth.  In  all  the  animal 
creation  we  find  implanted  by  nature  this  love  of  offspring. 
And  from  the  animals  some  parents  could  learn  a 
lesson  as  regards  love  and  provision.  By  this  Command- 
ment parents  are  held  first  to  take  care  of  the  body  of  their 
offspring.  This  duty  even  begins  before  the  birth  of  the 


THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT  247 

children  into  this  world.  Hence,  women  when  carrying 
children  are  forbidden  to  do  anything  that  would  expose 
to  injury  their  yet  unborn  offspring;  as  for  example,  to  per- 
form heavy  physical  labor;  or  to  fly  into  a  great  passion,  or 
allow  themselves  to  be  cast  down  by  great  sorrow  or  mental 
worry.  These  things  are  apt  to  affect  the  unborn  child. 
During  this  period  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  husbands 
should  treat  their  spouses  with  exceeding  great  kindness. 

Secondly,  parents  are  commanded  by  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment to  provide  food,  clothing  and  shelter  for  their 
offspring.  Hence,  those  parents  sin  grievously  who  refuse 
to  work  that  they  might  procure  the  necessaries  of  life  for 
their  children,  or  cast  them  out  into  the  world  or  squander 
their  money  in  drink,  gambling  or  otherwise,  or  commit 
them  to  asylums  that  they  might  shirk  their  responsibili- 
ties. 

Thirdly,  parents  are  commanded  by  the  Fourth  Com- 
mandment to  look  after  the  moral,  intellectual  and  spiritual 
welfare  of  their  children.  Hence,  parents  are  bound  to  set 
a  good  example  to  their  children,  by  frequenting  the  Sacra- 
ments, going  to  Mass  on  Sundays,  speaking  well  of  religion 
and  holy  things,  reading  the  proper  literature  and  by  carrying 
on  proper  conversations.  They  are  commanded  to  correct 
their  children  and  punish  them  when  necessary.  "Spare 
the  rod,"  says  the  inspired  writer,  "and  you  ruin  the  child." 
They  are  bound  to  watch  over  the  company  their  children 
keep,  and  also  the  places  they  frequent.  They  must  provide 
for  their  education  and  their  worldly  welfare  according  to 
their  condition  and  means.  And  last  but  not  least  they 
must  see  that  their  children  are  educated  in  Catholic 
schools,  and  are  reared  in  piety  and  virtue.  If  they  fail 
in  any  of  these  duties  they  break  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

My  Brethren,  superiors,  masters  and  teachers  are  bound 
almost  like  parents,  especially  as  regards  good  example,  in- 
struction, correction  and  vigilance.  As  regards  rulers  and 
law  makers  they  are  forbidden  to  enact  unjust  laws,  to 
overtax  the  people,  to  appoint  unworthy  ministers,  to  let  go 
criminals,  unpunished,  or  to  wage  an  unjust  war.  They  are 
bound  by  the  Fourth  Commandment  also  to  provide  for  the 
necessities  of  the  poor  and  afflicted,  and  to  keep  away  from 
the  people  dangerous  occasions  of  sin. 


248  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT 

Finally,  husbands  and  wives  have  mutual  obligations 
commanded  by  the  Fourth  Commandment.  The  husband 
owes  to  his  wife  and  the  wife  owes  to  her  husband,  the  highest 
love.  He  must  prefer  her  and  she  must  prefer  him  to  all 
others.  Hence,  they  are  forbidden  by  this  Commandment 
to  entertain  any  hatred,  to  quarrel  or  to  use  short,  harsh, 
or  insulting  words.  The  husband  is  bound  to  provide  for 
his  wife  according  to  her  condtion,  and  she  on  her  part  is 
bound  to  look  up  to  him  and  to  render  to  him  proper  obe- 
dience. Hence,  they  are  forbidden  to  live  apart  except  by 
mutual  agreement  and  for  a  short  while,  and  for  some  special 
reason.  The  husband  is  bound  to  take  with  him  his  wife 
wherever  he  goes,  and  she  is  bound  to  accompany  him  except 
he  be  a  vagabond,  who  is  continually  moving  about.  As  the 
head  of  the  family  he  must  look  after  her  spiritual  welfare 
and  if  she  neglect  her  duties  he  is  to  remind  her  of  them. 
She  in  turn  must  look  after  the  children  and  the  home  and 
be  subject  to  him.  Oftentimes  we  see  the  order  reversed 
which  is  wrong,  and  never  intended  by  God  in  instituting 
the  family. 

My  Brethren,  I  have  given  briefly  what  theologians  have 
to  say  about  the  Fourth  Commandment.  I  have  added  noth- 
ing. Perhaps  some  of  you  are  surprised  to  find  that  there 
is  so  much  contained  in  those  words :  "Honor  thy  father 
and  thy  mother."  Examine  yourselves  this  morning,  and 
no  doubt  you  will  find  much  of  which  to  accuse  yourselves. 
If  the  Fourth  Commandment  were  understood  and  kept  by 
the  people  what  a  change  would  come  over  this  fair  land 
of  ours.  It  is  the  bulwark  of  society.  The  foundation  of 
civil  society  is  the  home;  society  is  but  the  development  of 
the  home;  what  the  home  is  the  state  must  be;  and  the 
Fourth  Commandment  is  the  law  which  God  says  should 
govern  the  home  if  the  people  are  to  be  free,  happy,  long- 
lived,  prosperous  and  pleasing  to  Him.  Children  resolve 
to  love,  honor  and  obey  your  parents.  Parents  resolve  to 
love  your  children  and  jealously  watch  over  them;  Catho- 
lics resolve  to  respect  and  obey  your  pastors;  husbands 
resolve  to  love  your  wives  as  Christ  loved  the  Church;  and 
wives  resolve  to  bo  subject  to  your  husbands,  as  the  Church 
is  subject  to  Christ. 


THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH.  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — "Love  your  enemies",  "Do  good 
to  those  who  hate  you,"  "Thou  shalt  not  kill" ;  such  is  the 
supernatural  foundation  of  the  Fifth  Commandment.  We 
must  love  our  neighbors  as  we  love  ourselves;  we  must  not 
take  our  own  or  our  neighbors'  lives.  We  must  love  our- 
selves and  our  neighbor,  because  we  are  made  to  the  image 
and  likeness  of  God  and  participate  in  His  goodness.  God 
has  given  us  life  and  existence  and  He  alone  has  the  right 
to  deprive  us  of  it. 

As  regards  the  first  part  of  the  Fifth  Commandment, 
namely  the  love  of  our  neighbor — we  must  love  all  men  with 
a  true,  internal  love.  Nationality,  language,  race,  creed, 
even  crime  should  be  no  barrier.  All  men  are  children  of 
Adam  in  whom  is  God's  image  and  for  whom  Christ  died. 
And  therefore  they  must  be  loved.  We  must  love  them  not  in 
word  and  with  the  tongue,  but  in  truth  and  deed,  as  St.  John 
says.  Our  enemies  are  included  in  this  love;  and  to  them 
we  must  give  the  accustomed  marks  of  respect.  This  is 
where  Christianity  is  superior  to  Paganism.  Pagans  love 
only  their  friends,  and  to  them  alone  they  do  good.  But 
Christianity  teaches  the  universality  of  love,  and  says:— 
"Love  your  enemies."  "Do  good  to  those  who  hate  you." 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Fifth  Commandment  we  are  com- 
manded to  assist  our  neighbor  in  his  material  and  spiritual 
wants.  When  our  neighbor  is  in  extreme  want  we 
must  give  to  him  even  of  those  goods  which  are  neces- 
sary to  our  state  in  life.  Thus  for  example  if  a  man  is  sick 
unto  death  for  the  want  of  food,  or  clothing,  or  shelter, 
we  must  share  with  him  if  necessary,  our  table,  our  cloth- 
ing, our  bed.  If  our  neighbor  is  in  grave  want  we  must  give 
to  him  some  of  our  superfluous  food  and  clothing.  Thus 
for  example,  as  often  happens,  when  a  man  comes  to  our 
door  who  is  really  hungry  and  only  partly  clad,  we  are  bound 

by  the  Fifth  Commandment  to  feed  or  clothe  him,  if  we 

J  249 


250  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT 

have  more  than  what  is  necessary  to  live  becomingly.  In 
extreme  and  grave  cases  we  are  only  obliged  to  relieve 
present  wants.  In  common  want  we  are  not  obliged  to 
assist  this  or  that  person;  but  we  are  bound  to  give  some- 
thing in  common  charity.  Thus  for  example,  those  who 
habitually  turn  away  beggars  from  their  doors,  sin  against 
the  Fifth  Commandment.  In  a  word  by  the  Fifth  Com- 
mandment we  are  bound  to  visit  the  sick  and  the  captives, 
to  ransom  prisoners,  to  give  food  to  the  hungry,  drink  to  the 
thirsty,  clothe  the  naked,  shelter  the  harborless,  and  bury 
the  dead.  Listen  to  the  words  of  our  Divine  Lord,  "Depart 
from  Me  ye  cursed,  for  I  was  hungry  and  you  gave  Me  not 
to  eat;  I  was  thirsty  and  you  gave  Me  not  to  drink.  I  was 
a  stranger  and  you  took  Me  not  in,  naked  and  you  covered 
Me  not ;  sick  and  in  prison  and  you  did  not  visit  Me."  Then 
they  shall  answer  Him  saying:  "Lord,  when  did  we  see  Thee 
hungry  or  thirsty,  or  a  stranger,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in 
prison  and  did  not  minister  to  Thee?"  Then  He  shall 
answer  them  saying  :  "Amen,  I  say  to  thee  as  long  as  ye 
did  it  not  to  one  of  these  least,  neither  did  you  do  it  to  Me." 

My  Brethren,  as  regards  the  spiritual  welfare  of  our 
neighbor  we  are  never  allowed  to  sin  with  him,  neither 
slightly  nor  grievously;  and  we  are  bound  if  it  be  within 
our  power  to  remove  from  him  all  dangers  to  the  salvation 
of  his  soul.  So  binding  is  this  precept,  that  if  we  were  cer- 
tain that  a  man  is  about  to  lose  his  soul,  we  should  if  neces- 
sary lay  down  our  life  to  rescue  him.  And  that  is  the 
meaning  of  those  words  of  Christ,  "Greater  love  than  this 
no  man  hath  than  to  lay  down  his  life  for  his  fellow  man." 
To  turn  away  from  the  community  some  great  spiritual 
evil,  we  are  bound,  even  with  some  danger  to  our  life.  As 
for  example,  to  prevent  the  seed  of  heresy  or  false  social 
teaching  from  being  sown  in  a  community,  we  are  bound 
to  jeopardize  our  life.  In  a  word  we  are  bound  by  the  Fifth 
Commandment  at  certain  times  to  admonish  the  sinner,  to 
instruct  the  ignorant,  to  counsel  the  doubtful,  to  comfort 
the  sorrowful,  to  bear  wrongs  patiently,  to  forgive  all  in- 
juries, and  to  pray  for  the  living  and  the  dead. 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Fifth  Commandment  we  are  for- 
bidden to  bear  hatred  towards  our  neighbor,  to  contend 


THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT  251 

with  him,  to  quarrel  with  him,  or  to  strike  him.  We  are 
forbidden  to  give  scandal,  and  by  scandal  we  mean  any 
word  spoken  by  us  or  any  action  performed  by  us  which  will 
be  an  occasion  of  spiritual  ruin  to  our  neighbor.  Hence,  we 
are  forbidden  to  say  anything  against  faith,  or  to  repeat 
immodest  stories,  or  to  distribute  immoral  literature,  or 
to  spread  false  doctrines,  or  to  dress  immodestly.  We  are 
forbidden  to  paint  nude  pictures,  or  to  keep  them  or  nude 
statues  in  our  houses.  We  are  forbidden  to  witness  plays 
at  the  theatre  which  are  low,  degrading  and  vulgar,  and  by 
all  means  those  that  shock  decency  and  modesty.  Mer- 
chants are  forbidden  to  handle  and  sell  those  wares  which 
are  solely  used  as  the  instruments  of  sin.  Proprietors  of 
hotels  are  forbidden  to  have  rooms  for  immoral  purposes; 
and  tavern  keepers  are  forbidden  to  sell  to  those  who  are 
intoxicated  or  who  squander  their  money  in  drink.  These 
are  some  of  the  common  ways  in  which  we  give  scandal 
and  cooperate  in  the  sins  of  others. 

My  Brethren,  we  come  now  to  the  second  part  of  the 
Fifth  Commandment,  and  I  shall  be  very  brief.  In  so  far 
as  this  is  affirmative,  we  are  commanded  to  preserve  our 
own  and  our  neighbors'  life.  Hence,  he  who  neglects  to 
make  use  of  the  ordinary  means  of  health,  sins.  That  person 
who  is  sick  and  refuses  the  attention  of  the  physician  sins. 
But  we  are  not  obliged  to  resort  to  extraordinary  means, 
as  for  example,  to  have  an  arm  or  a  leg  amputated  in  order 
to  live.  In  so  far  as  it  is  negative,  we  are  forbidden  ever 
to  take  our  own  life.  Nature  forbids  us  to  take  our  own 
life,  and  has  filled  every  rational  being  with  a  horror  of 
suicide.  We  are  not  allowed  to  expose  our  life  to  danger 
except  for  a  grave  reason.  Hence,  some  acrobatic  perform- 
ances and  some  feats  of  aviation  are  forbidden,  and  by 
all  means  balloon  ascensions.  In  these  cases  for  money 
or  vain  glory,  life  is  exposed  to  danger.  But  a  priest,  or  a 
doctor,  or  a  nurse,  or  a  soldier,  is  allowed  to  expose  his 
life  in  the  pursuit  of  his  calling.  Society  demands  this  sac- 
rifice, and  it  is  done  for  duty's  sake,  and  becomes  meri- 
torious. 

My  Brethren,  duelling,  sedition,  unjust  war  and  abor- 
tion is  forbidden  bv  the  Fifth  Commandment.  But  the  State 


252  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT 

and  the  State  only  has  the  authority  to  take  life.  This  she 
has  received  from  God  from  the  very  constitution  of  civil 
society.  If  murderers  were  allowed  to  go  free,  life  would 
not  be  safe.  Capital  punishment  is  the  only  punishment 
that  doth  strike  terror  into  the  heart  of  the  murderer.  War 
is  sometimes  lawful,  as  for  example,  when  the  life  of  a 
nation  is  at  stake  and  other  means  have  failed,  war  may  be 
resorted  to,  just  as  we  may  defend  our  life  against  an  unjust 
aggressor.  Abortion  is  never  lawful,  because  it  is  the  foul- 
est and  blackest  of  murders.  The  body  is  not  only  de- 
stroyed, but  the  soul.  The  slaughter  of  the  innocents  by 
Herod  cannot  be  compared  to  the  destruction  of  the  unborn 
infant  in  malice  and  heinousness.  Their  blood  cries  to 
heaven  for  vengeance,  and  God  will  in  due  time  wreak  it 
upon  the  guilty. 

My  Brethren,  I  ask  you  to  examine  yourselves  seriously 
on  the  Fifth  Commandment.  Unless  you  love  your  brother 
whom  you  see,  how  can  you  say  that  you  love  your  Father 
in  heaven,  whom  you  do  not  see?  Do  you  disperse  charity 
as  you  give  a  dog  a  bone?  Kemember,  the  example  of  our 
Divine  Lord.  Before  He  fed  the  hungry  in  the  desert,  He 
lead  them  first  to  a  place  where  there  was  much  grass;  sat 
them  down,  provided  fish  and  bread  for  them;  and  all  did 
eat  until  they  were  filled,  and  they  gathered  up  what  re- 
mained, twelve  baskets.  Charity  covereth  a  multitude  of 
sins,  and  it  is  one  way  in  which  we  can  make  our  judg- 
ment light  before  the  tribunal  of  God.  My  brethren,  do  we 
take  proper  care  of  our  own  life?  Remember,  life  is  most 
sacred,  and  many  people  by  over  eating  and  drinking  and 
other  indulgences  shorten  their  lives  and  will  be  held  ac- 
countable in  the  sight  of  God.  Do  we  take  the  proper 
care  of  the  spiritual  life  of  our  neighbor?  You  are  your 
brother's  keeper.  Tf  you  can  prevent  sin  and  crime,  and 
do  not,  you  are  guilty  in  the  sight  of  God.  If  you  give  scan- 
dal and  lead  others  into  sin,  you  murder  souls,  and  terrible 
will  be  the  reckoning  on  the  Last  Day.  Love  your  neighbor 
in  word  sind  in  truth.  Do  good  to  him  on  all  occasions,  and 
unceasingly  seek  his  spiritual  welfare.  Then  you  may  say 
that  you  are  keeping  the  Fifth  Commandment. 


THE  SIXTH  AND  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENTS. 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren :— As  the  Sixth  and  the  Ninth  Com- 
umndinents  both  treat  on  impurity,  and  are  so  closely  con- 
nected, running  into  each  other,  we  shall  speak  on  them 
together.  It  is  true  according  to  the  words  of  the  Com- 
mandments, the  Sixth  forbids  acts  against  purity,  whilst 
the  Ninth  Commandment  forbids  thoughts.  The  Sixth  Com- 
mandment is:  "Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery;"  and  the 
Ninth,  "Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife." 

My  Brethren,  in  our  catechetical  instruction  on  these 
two  Commandments,  you  will  readily  surmise  that  I  can- 
not speak  too  plainly,  or  go  into  details.  The  presence  of 
children,  and  a  mixed  congregation  forbid  me.  We  must 
therefore  not  be  too  explicit,  and  must  confine  ourselves  to 
general  outlines. 

My  Brethren,  there  are  no  sins  which  carry  in  their 
train  so  many  evils  as  those  against  purity.  Sins  against 
purity  strike  a  deadly  blow  against  the  human  race.  Drunk- 
enness is  a  great  sin,  because  it  tends  to  destroy  the  indi- 
vidual ;  but  impurity  is  a  greater  sin,  because  it  tends  to 
destroy  the  human  race.  The  drunkard  sins  against  him- 
self; but  the  impure  man  sins  against  society.  It  is  hard  to 
overcome  the  habit  of  drunkenness,  but  let  impurity  get  a 
hold  on  a  man,  and  it  takes  almost  a  miracle  of  grace  to  re- 
lease him  from  its  grasp.  We  hear  much  from  public  reform- 
ers about  drunkenness,  but  never  a  word  about  impurity. 
Drunkenness  is  a  great  sin,  because  it  puts  man  on  a  level 
with  the  brute  creation;  but  impurity  is  a  greater  sin,  be- 
cause it  puts  man  below  the  brute  creation.  An  impure  man 
in  his  lusts  will  do  things  which  the  instincts  of  animals  pre- 
vent them  from  doing.  Drunkenness  slays  its  thousands,  but 
impurity  its  tens  of  thousands.  For  every  one  sin  which  is 
committed  against  temperance,  there  are  a  hundred  which 
are  committed  against  purity.  Impurity  is  the  sin  of  the 
American  people,  and  as  a  cancer,  is  eating  into  the  very 
vitals  of  the  nation. 

My  Brethren,  we  may  class  sins  against  purity  under 

253 


254  THE  SIXTH  AND  NINTH  COMMANDMENTS 

three  heads.  First,  sins  of  the  mind,  which  are  sensual  de- 
lights about  an  impure  object,  immodest  desires,  and  reflec- 
tion on  past  sins.  In  the  second  class,  we  have  sins  against 
purity  not  consummated,  as  for  example,  impure  words,  dis- 
honest kisses,  and  forbidden  touches.  In  the  third  class, 
we  have  sins  of  action  completed,  as  for  example,  fornifica- 
tion,  seduction,  rape,  adultery,  incest  and  sacrilege.  Under 
this  class  come  also  sins  against  nature,  which  modesty  for- 
bids me  even  to  mention,  so  horrible  and  revolting  are  they ; 
and  yet  they  are  committed  by  people  with  intelligence,  and 
a  claim  to  respectability  and  Christians  too.  It  is  unneces- 
sary to  say  that  all  such  sins  by  their  very  nature  are  mortal 
and  grievous,  and  those  guilty  of  them  cannot  enter  into  the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Every  voluntary  thought,  word  or 
action  then  against  purity  is  a  mortal  sin.  And  even  in  the 
marriage  state  whilst  certain  liberties  are  allowed  husband 
and  wife  which  are  forbidden  to  others,  yet  they  too,  are 
bound  by  certain  laws  as  regards  chastity,  which  if  they 
break,  they  sin  against  the  Sixth  and  the  Ninth  Command- 
ments. 

But  let  me  state  and  affirm  emphatically,  that  thoughts 
against  purity,  if  we  have  not  been  the  cause  of  them,  if  we 
resist  and  overcome  them  instead  of  defiling  the  soul,  make  it 
more  holy  in  the  sight  of  God.  We  know  that  some  of  the 
greatest  saints  were  troubled  at  times  with  impure  thoughts. 
By  the  grace  of  God  they  overcame  them  and  they  were 
reputed  unto  them  to  sanctification  and  holiness. 

My  Brethren,  there  are  three  external  causes  of  temp- 
tations against  purity,  and  upon  them  I  wish  to  say  a  word 
or  two.  First,  there  is  the  theatre,  wherein  actors  and 
actresses,  by  their  immodest  dress,  and  oftentimes  the  play 
itself,  cause  temptations  against  purity  and  lead  people  into 
sin.  If  as  a  rule,  when  we  go  to  the  theatre  we  sin  in  thought, 
it  becomes  a  proximate  occasion  of  sin  to  us,  and  we  must 
refrain  from  going.  The  second  source  is  dancing,  and 
especially  certain  kinds  of  dances.  Dancing,  like  the  theatre 
in  itself  is  no  evil,  but  on  account  of  the  dress  and  the 
position  of  those  who  indulge,  it  oftentimes  is  the  cause 
of  temptations  against  purity.  Like  the  theatre,  if  as  a  rule, 
we  sin  when  we  dance,  we  must  cease  from  it,  as  it  then  be- 
comes a  proximate  occasion  of  sin  to  us.  The  theatre  and  the 


THE  SIXTH  AND  NINTH  COMMANDMENTS  255 

dance  hall  like  pastry  or  sweetmeats  should  be  partaken  of 
seldom;  and  then  only  under  certain  conditions.  Divorces 
and  scandals  which  appear  in  the  newspapers  should  not  be 
read  by  us  unless  we  have  a  serious  reason  for  so  doing,  and 
by  all  means  parents  should  see  that  their  children  do  not 
read  them. 

My  Brethren,  there  is  no  virtue  which  makes  us  more 
angelic  than  purity.  And  hence,  we  find  our  Divine  Lord 
extolling  it  so  much.  He  chose  a  virgin  for  His  Mother; 
He  remained  a  virgin  Himself;,  His  chosen  disciple  was  a 
virgin ;  and  only  the  virgins  in  the  next  life  shall  follow  the 
Lamb  whithersoever  He  goeth,  singing  the  canticle  which 
none  other  can  sing.  We  should  therefore  guard  this  precious 
jewel  most  jealously.  It  is  like  a  most  delicate  plant 
which  can  be  easily  hurt  and  destroyed.  We  should  first 
keep  a  guard  over  our  eyes  if  we  wish  to  preserve  it. 
He  who  allows  his  eyes  to  wander  everywhere  and  rest  upon 
all  objects  cannot  hope  to  preserve  his  purity.  Secondly, 
we  should  keep  a  guard  over  our  conversation ;  "Out  of  the 
abundance  of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh."  By  being 
careless  in  our  conversation  we  are  oftentimes  the  cause  of 
our  own  temptations.  By  carrying  on  immodest  conversa- 
tions how  many  souls  we  send  to  hell  ?  After  we  are  in  our 
graves,  perhaps,  some  impure  tale  which  we  repeated,  will 
still  be  sending  people  into  Hell.  Let  us  guard,  then,  more 
carefully  our  conversation.  Thirdly,  if  we  wish  to  preserve 
the  virtue  of  purity,  we  should  be  temperate  in  our  eating 
and  drinking.  The  man  who  gorges  himself  by  food  and 
drink  must  necessarily  be  tempted  by  the  humors  of  the  body. 
Fourthly,  if  we  wish  to  preserve  purity,  we  should  avoid  the 
company  of  the  impure.  If  we  associate  with  the  impure, 
sooner  or  later,  like  a  contagious  disease,  we  shall  become 
infected.  Fifthly,  the  great  remedy  against  impurity  is  the 
frequent  reception  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist.  This  is  the 
wine  that  begets  virgins.  And  it  is  the  reason  why  priests 
and  sisters  are  pure  and  chaste,  and  why  they  are  able 
to  live  the  lives  of  angels  in  the  flesh.  In  all  temptations, 
my  brethren,  against  purity,  fly  immediately  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin.  Invoke  her  under  the  title  of  Virgin  Mother!  Call 
upon  her  chaste  spouse,  St.  Joseph,  and  lastly  by  all  means, 
call  upon  Jesus  Christ.  Hide  yourself  within  His  wounds! 


KNIGHTS  OF  COLUMBUS— THEIR  MISSION. 

DELIVERED  AT  BLUEFIELD,  W.  VAV  AT  THE  INSTITUTION  OF 
A  COUNCIL  OF  THE  ORDER. 

Rev.  Fathers,  Brothers  and  Prospective  Members  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus: — Today  we  are  about  to  institute  in 
the  thriving  city  of  Bluefield,  and  with  the  full  sanction  and 
cooperation  of  your  beloved  pastor,  a  Council  of  the  Knights 
of  Columbus.  Whilst  appreciating  much  the  honor  which 
you  had  conferred  upon  me  in  inviting  me  to  address  you  on 
this  occasion,  I  was  somewhat  at  a  loss  for  an  appropriate 
subject.  However,  after  some  reflection,  I  thought  I  could 
select  no  better  subject  than  "The  Church  and  Catholic 
Societies;"  on  account  of  some  misunderstanding  concern- 
ing our  society,  and  for  our  mutual  guidance  and  instruc- 
tion. 

For  the  sake  of  clearness  and  conciseness,  as  I  do  not 
intend  to  detain  you  long,  I  have  resolved  the  subject  into 
the  four  following  considerations,  upon  each  of  which  I 
wish  to  speak  very  briefly;  the  Catholic  Church  as  a  So- 
ciety; What  are  Catholic  Societies?;  The  Genius  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus;  And  What  is  its  Work  and  Mission? 

The  Catholic  Church  is  that  great  spiritual  Society 
founded  by  Jesus  Christ.  It  is  the  consummation  and  per- 
fection of  the  Primitive  and  Mosaic  religions.  Its  mission 
is  to  continue  the  work  of  the  Incarnate  God.  Or  in  other 
words  its  work  in  this  world  is  to  teach,  govern  and  direct 
all  men  in  the  way  of  salvation. 

The  Catholic  Church  is  a  complete  and  perfect  society 
in  itself.  Hence,  it  has  not  only  the  power  and  right  to 
teach,  but  the  power  and  right  divine  to  govern  and  direct 
men  in  spiritual  things.  Its  supreme  governing  power  as 
much  as  its  supreme  ruling  power  is  lodged  in  the  Pope, 
the  bishop  of  Rome.  The  various  bishops,  each  in  his  own 
diocese,  subject  to  the  universal  bishop,  are  the  source  of 
the  teaching  and  legislative  power.  The  Bishop  of  Rome. 
256 


KNIGHTS   OF   COLUMBUS — THEIR   MISSION  257 

in  or  out  of  an  Ecumenical  Council,  can  make  laws  for  the 
universal  Church,  which  are  binding  upon  the  conscience 
of  all  the  faithful  throughout  the  whole  world.  The  bishops 
in  a  Provincial  Council  can  make  laws  for  the  province, 
which  are  binding  upon  the  conscience  of  the  Catholics 
therein.  And  the  bishop  of  each  diocese,  in  or  out  of  a 
synod  can  make  laws  for  his  diocese  which  are  binding  on 
the  conscience  of  his  subjects;  always  supposing  that  they 
conflict  not  with  the  general  laws  of  the  Church.  Now  from 
these  principles  it  follows  that  the  Church  has  the  right, 
eVen  the  duty  at  times  to  declare  what  societies  are  Catho- 
lic, what  societies  are  lawful,  and  what  societies  are  for- 
bidden. This  brings  us  to  the  second  consideration— What 
are  Catholic  Societies? 

% 

Brothers,  upon  this  important  point  to  be  exact,  we 
shall  divide  societies  which  Catholics  may  join,  into  three 
kinds;  namely,  strictly  religious,  semi-religious  and  secular. 
In  order  that  strictly  religious  societies  may  be  lawful  they 
must  be  approved  by  the  Church  either  in  writing  or  orally. 
The  Holy  Name  Society,  and  the  Blessed  Virgin's  Sodality 
are  of  such  a  nature,  because  their  end  and  means  are 
strictly  religious.  All  may  therefore  readily  see  why  such 
societies  must  be  thus  approved. 

In  order  that  the  semi-religious  societies  may  be  lawful, 
they  must  have  at  least  the  implicit  sanction  of  the  Church. 
Semi-religious  societies  as  the  word  implies,  are  those  whose 
end  is  partly  religious  and  partly  secular.  As  an  example 
of  this  kind  we  may  take  for  instance  the  Knights  of  St. 
John  and  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians.  Now  it  is  on 
account  of  the  religious  element  in  these  societies  that  they 
demand  the  approbation  or  sanction  of  the  Church.  It  re- 
quires no  course  of  reasoning  to  prove  this  to  any  intelligent 
Catholic. 

And  finally,  in  regard  to  secular  societies,  whose  end  is 
simply  some  temporal  advantages  offered  to  the  members;  in 
order  that  these  societies  may  be  lawful  they  must  first  be 
free  from  the  condemnation  of  the  Church,  and  secondly,  they 
must  contain  nothing  morally  wrong.  But  allow  me  to  re- 
mark that  the  Catholic  Church  never  has,  or  never  will  con- 
demn any  purely  secular  society  unless  there  is  discovered, 


258  KNIGHTS   OF   COLUMBUS — THEIR   MISSION 

after  mature  investigation,  something  morally  wrong  either 
in  the  end  proposed  or  the  means  used  to  obtain  it.  The 
Church  has  condemned  certain  societies,  because  they  consti- 
tute a  religion  in  themselves,  because  they  have  usurped  her 
God-given  rights,  and  have  attempted  to  put  themselves  in 
her  place. 

This  brings  us  to  the  third  consideration.  What  kind 
of  a  Society  is  the  Knights  of  Columbus?  The  Knights  of 
Columbus  is  a  semi-religious  society.  It  has  two  ends  in  view ; 
one  a  spiritual  the  other  a  temporal,  with  the  spiritual  pre- 
dominating and  prevailing.  It  aims  as  far  as  external  helps 
go,  to  make  its  members  better,  truer  and  more  loyal  Catho- 
lics; and  consequently  better,  truer  and  more  loyal  Ameri- 
can citizens.  The  Knights  of  Columbus  is  spread  through- 
out the  continent  of  North  America.  It  has  councils  in  al- 
most all  the  dioceses  of  these  United  States,  in  the  dioceses 
of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  in  Mexico  and  in  Cuba.  It  has 
crossed  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific,  and  we  find  Councils  in 
Ireland  and  the  Philippine  Islands.  Its  membership  at  the 
present  time  numbers  over  two  hundred  thousand  men.  It 
is  opposed  by  no  bishop  of  whom  I  know,  and  it  has  at  least 
the  implicit  sanction  of  the  hierarchy  of  the  United  States. 
Some  of  the  most  zealous  bishops  and  priests  of  this  country 
are  members  of  it.  Our  own  bishop  approves  of  it;  for  be- 
fore we  had  a  council  in  Huntington,  he  encouraged  me  to 
organize  one.  It  is  true  that  there  is  a  diocesan  statute  which 
says  that  a  society  in  order  to  be  considered  Catholic  and 
have  all  the  privileges  and  rights  of  such  must  be  approved 
in  writing  by  the  Ordinary.  But  a  Bishop  is  superior  to  the 
diocesan  statutes,  and  can  annul,  change  or  suspend  them. 
And  we  know  that  Bishop  Donahue  has  done  so  in  the  case 
of  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  It  has  his  sanction,  moral 
support  and  encouragement,  although  he  has  not  approved 
it  in  writing. 

The  Knights  of  Columbus  has  a  temporal  end  in  view, 
like  all  organizations  of  a  semi-religious  nature.  And  what- 
ever is  offered  in  a  worldly  advantage  by  other  societies, 
the  Knights  of  Columbus  has  something  equally  as  good 
if  not  far  better  to  offer.  The  members  of  the  Knights  of 


KNIGHTS   OF   COLUMBUS — THEIR   MISSION  259 

Columbus,  although  bound  to  secrecy  and  obedience,  can 
under  certain  circumstances  divulge  the  secrets  to  the  spir- 
itual and  secular  power,  and  their  promise  of  obedience  is 
only  conditional.  Hence,  it  never  will  conflict  with  the 
Church  or  State. 

And  now  Brethren,  we  pass  to  the  last  consideration — 
What  is  the  Mission  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus?  In  union 
there  is  strength.  It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone.  Or- 
ganization is  the  spirit  of  the  age,  and  to  accomplish  any 
great  work  nowadays  men  must  form  themselves  into  a  so- 
ciety. The  Church  must  therefore  have  societies  of  a  semi- 
religious  nature.  I  lay  it  down  as  the  first  and  principal 
reason  for  the  existence  of  the  Knights  of  Columbus,  that 
Catholics  may  find  in  it  and  kindred  societies  under  the  eye 
of  the  Church  whatever  is  found  good  in  societies  oftentimes 
hostile  to  the  Church.  In  other  words,  that  Catholic  men 
may  have  no  excuse  to  join  societies  which  are  to  say  the 
least  dangerous  and  hurtful  to  their  faith  or  morals. 

The  Catholic  Church  can  supply  all  that  is  necessary 
for  the  spiritual  and  moral  man.  In  her  are  found  all  the 
doctrines  of  Christ  for  the  enlightenment  of  the  darkened 
understanding  and  all  the  sacred  rites  instituted  by  Him 
for  the  strengthening  of  the  weakened  will.  The  Church 
could  accomplish  her  work  and  mission  in  this  world  with- 
out the  use  of  semi-religious  societies.  But  we  know  from 
experience  that  the  weal  or  welfare  of  the  Church  can 
be  helped  or  retarded  considerably  by  accidentals.  Does 
not  the  success  of  the  work  of  the  Church  depend,  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  upon  human  means?  To  illustrate,  take  a  priest 
who  is  prudent,  zealous,  congenial,  and  has  a  strong  person- 
ality, and  place  him  over  a  parish  and  contrast  the  success 
of  his  work  with  a  priest  who  lacks  these  qualities.  Al- 
though both  preach  the  same  doctrines  and  administer  the 
same  sacraments,  how  much  difference  there  is  in  the  fruit 
of  their  labor.  The  former  brings  forth  fruit  a  hundred 
fold,  the  latter  scarcely  ten.  Now,  it  is  the  same  with 
semi-religious  societies  like  the  Knights  of  Columbus.  They 
can  and  do  render  valuable  assistance  to  the  spiritual  build- 
ing up  of  a  parish  and  the  Church.  And  that  is  the  second 
reason  for  their  existence. 


260  KNIGHTS   OP    COLUMBUS — THEIR   MISSION 

In  the  Catholic  Church  there  are  two  orders,  the  clergy 
and  the  laity,  the  teachers  and  the  disciples,  the  ministers 
and  the  subjects.  By  divine  institution  the  Church  has 
been  so  constituted.  The  priests  are  to  offer  up  the  Sacri- 
fice of  the  Mass,  administer  the  Sacraments,  teach  the  peo- 
ple and  guide  them  spiritually.  But  the  laymen  have  a 
work  to  do.  They  are  to  be  the  secondary  teachers.  They 
have  many  opportunities  to  spread  Catholicity  which  a 
priest  has  not.  By  its  fruits  the  tree  shall  be  known.  A 
layman's  life  is  opened  to  the  full  public  glare.  And  a  knowl- 
edge which  some  non-Catholics  have  of  the  Church  comes 
solely  from  the  life  of  the  Catholic  layman.  Every  good 
Catholic  is  therefore  a  missionary.  He  teaches  by  the  ex- 
ample of  his  daily  life.  Now  the  Knights  of  Columbus 
specially  tries  to  encourage  this  work  on  the  part  of  Cath- 
olic laymen  and  endeavors  to  get  bound  together  in  one 
society  the  best,  the  most  intelligent,  and  most  influential 
Catholics. 

What  a  great  work  lies  before  the  Knights  of  Columbus ! 
Upon  the  Catholic  mankind  of  America,  united,  will  depend 
the  stability  of  our  country.  They  and  they  only  will  be 
able  to  resist  and  to  beat  back  the  united  hosts  of  infidelity, 
socialism  and  anarchy  which  have  crossed  the  waters  and 
have  planted  themselves  in  these  United  States  where  they 
are  carrying  on  and  waging  an  active  propaganda.  I  pray 
may  the  Knights  of  Columbus  be  true  to  their  mission  and 
grow  and  spread  like  the  Church  herself  until  they  are  found 
in  every  hamlet,  town  and  village  in  this  country  near  the 
Church,  upholding  and  supporting  her!  And  may  they  cross 
the  Atlantic  and  enter  the  Latin  countries,  and  there  be  a 
bulwark  and  a  towetf  of  strength  to  the  Church  in  her  gallant 
fight  for  God  and  faith  and  liberty  against  the  machinations 
and  persecutions  of  the  infidels  and  masons  of  those 
countries ! 


THE  SEVENTH  AND  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENTS 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — The  Seventh  Commandment  is: 
"Thou  shalt  not  steal,"  and  the  Tenth  is:  "Thou  shalt  not 
covet  thy  neighbor's  goods."  These  two  Commandments 
go  together  just  as  the  Sixth  and  the  Ninth ;  one  regulates 
our  desires,  the  other,  our  actions.  FOP  from  desires  proceed 
actions.  And  before  we  take  our  neighbor's  goods,  we  must 
first  desire  them.  However,  oftentimes  we  desire  our  neigh- 
bor's goods,  without  taking  them;  which  is  a  grievous  sin; 
for  sin  lies  in  the  will.  The  only  difference  is,  if  we  take 
our  neighbor's  goods,  we  are  bound  to  restore  them. 

My  Brethren,  the  Seventh  and  the  Tenth  Command- 
ments are  likewise  founded  on  the  law  of  nature,  and  are 
taught  us  by  reason.  God  in  the  Decalogue  simply  makes 
those  truths  clearer  and  confirms  them.  The  ownership  of 
movable  or  stable  goods  is  necessary  to  the  life  and  pro- 
gress of  men.  And  hence,  among  all  nations  and  people, 
from  the  creation  of  man  down  to  the  present  time,  this 
right  has  been  recognized.  To  preserve  our  physical  life, 
we  need  food,  clothing  and  shelter;  and  nature  gives  us 
the  right  to  these  things.  To  provide  for  ourselves  and 
those  depending  upon  us  with  any  degree  of  stability  and 
certainty  we  must  own  land  and  the  means  of  production. 
Therefore,  nature  gives  us  the  right  to  these  things.  We 
are  commanded  by  the  law  of  conscience  to  do  unto  others 
as  we  would  have  them  do  unto  us,  to  render  to  everyone 
his  due,  and  not  to  distress  unnecessarily  our  neighbor's 
mind.  Now  by  not  respecting  our  neighbor's  property  we 
sin  in  this  way. 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Seventh  and  Tenth  Command- 
ments we  are  forbidden  to  steal.  And  by  stealing,  we 
mean  the  taking  away  or  retaining  what  belongs  to  an- 
other against  his  will.  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Thes- 
salonians  says:  "This  is  the  will  of  God,  your  sanctification 

261 


262     THE  SEVENTH  AND  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENTS 

*  *  *  *  that  no  man  overreach  or  deceive  his  brother  in 
business ;  because  the  Lord  is  the  avenger  of  all  such  things 
as  He  has  told  you  before,  and  we  have  testified." 

Servants  who  waste  the  goods  of  their  master  or  give 
them  away,  or  appropriate  them  for  their  own  use  with- 
ou  t  permission,  are  guilty  of  the  sin  of  theft.  Workmen 
who  do  their  work  in  a  careless  and  indifferent  manner 
and  exact  the  price  of  good  work,  or  when  employed  by  the 
day  protract  the  work  beyond  measure,  are  guilty  of  the 
sin  of  theft.  Those  who  are  in  charge  of  the  affairs  of 
other  people  and  use  such  trust  to  their  own  advantage 
and  the  detriment  of  those  people,  are  guilty  of  the  sin  of 
theft.  Public  officers  who  take  bribes  or  administer  their 
offices  unjustly  or  unfaithfully  are  guilty  of  the  sin  of  theft. 
These  are  some  of  the  more  common  ways  by  which  the 
Seventh  and  the  Tenth  Commandments  are  broken  by  theft. 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Seventh  and  the  Tenth  Command- 
ments are  forbidden  all  rapine  and  robbery.  And  by  rapine 
or  robbery,  we  mean  the  taking  away  of  what  belongs  to 
another  by  open  violence.  Isaias  the  Prophet,  writing  in  the 
name  of  the  Almighty  saith,  "Woe  to  thee  that  spoilest,  shalt 
not  thou  thyself  also  be  spoiled?  When  thou  shalt  have 
made  an  end  of  spoiling  thou  shalt  be  spoiled."  All  those 
who  have  used  their  authority  to  deprive  others  unjustly 
of  their  goods  or  possessions  are  guilty  of  robbery.  All 
those  who  force  others  by  unjust  exactions  to  sell  their 
possessions  at  a  great  sacrifice,  are  guilty  of  robbery.  All 
those  who  go  in  debt,  and  afterwards  refuse  to  pay  or  who 
put  off  the  paying  of  just  debts  to  the  hurt  and  prejudice  of 
their  creditors,  are  guilty  of  robbery.  All  those  who  op- 
press the  widows,  orphans  and  the  poor,  or  compel  work- 
men to  work  for  wages  upon  which  they  cannot  subsist, 
are  guilty  of  robbery.  This  last  kind  of  robbery  is  most 
detestable  in  the  sight  of  God.  For,  speaking  through  the 
inspired  writer,  He  says:  "Touch  not  the  bounds  of  little 
ones  and  enter  not  into  the  field  of  the  fatherless;  for  their 
near  kinsman  is  strong  and  He  wjll  judge  their  cause 
against  thee;"  "He  that  taketh  away  the  bread  gotten  by 
sweat,  is  like  him  that  killeth  his  neighbor." 


THE  SEVENTH  AND  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENTS     263 

My  Brethren,  by  these  two  Commandments  are  for- 
bidden all  forms  of  usury.  And  by  usury,  we  mean,  the 
taking  of  a  recompense  or  reward  merely  for  the  use  of 
some  money  or  goods.  As  for  example,  I  borrow  a  few 
dollars  for  a  week  or  two,  and  the  one  from  whom  I  borrow 
it  exacts  from  me  a  certain  percentage  of  it.  Or,  again, 
a  woman  loans  her  neighbor  some  flour  or  meat  and  exacts 
from  her  when  she  returns  it  more  than  she  borrowed.  It 
is  true  in  the  case  of  banks  money  can  be  loaned  out  on 
interest,  but  the  interest  is  the  value  of  something  extrin- 
sic to  the  money  loaned.  However,  if  banks  charge  over 
the  per  cent,  allowed  by  law,  they  too,  are  guilty  of  usury. 
Usury  is  a  grievous  sin  as  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures. 
Thus  in  Deuteronomy  it  is  expressly  forbidden:  "Thou 
shalt  not  lend  to  thy  brother  money  to  usury,  nor  corn 
nor  any  other  thing."  And  Ezechiel,  the  Prophet,  says: 
"He  that  giveth  upon  usury  and  taketh  increase;  shall  such 
a  one  live?  *  *  *  *  He  shall  surely  die." 

We  have  come  now  to  avarice,  which  is  forbidden  by 
the  Seventh  and  the  Tenth  Commandments.  By  avarice, 
we  mean,  an  inordinate  love  or  desire  for  money  or  riches 
or  the  goods  of  this  world.  And  how  many  people  are 
guilty  of  this  sin !  These  are  the  signs.  If  you  are  con- 
tinually thinking  on  money,  or  the  goods  of  this  world  even 
when  performing  your  religious  duties,  then  you  are  avari- 
cious. If,  because,  you  possess  some  of  the  goods  of  this 
world,  you  are  haughty  and  proud  and  look  down  upon 
your  less  fortunate  brother,  then  you  are  avaricious.  If  at 
the  loss  of  some  of  your  goods  you  grieve  much,  •  you 
are  avaricious.  If  you  refuse  to  help  the  needy  and  do  not 
want  to  pay  your  just  debts,  are  unwilling  to  part  with  any 
of  your  money,  you  are  avaricious. 

My  Brethren,  he  who  has  taken  'away  anything  from 
another  unjustly,  whether  by  force  or  fraud,  or  has  been 
the  cause  of  its  being  taken  away  by  others,  or  has  in  his 
possession  goods  which  belong  to  another,  is  bound  by  the 
strictest  laws  of  justice  to  return  the  said  goods  to  the 
true  owner  either  in  kind  or  value.  We  are  also  bound 
to  make  restitution  for  the  loss  the  owner  may  have  sus- 


264     THE  SEVENTH  AND  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENTS 

tained  by  our  unjust  possession  of  his  goods.  And  finally, 
we  are  bound  in  conscience  to  pay  our  debts.  That  man 
or  woman  who  does  not  do  so  cannot  hope  to  have  his  or 
her  sins  forgiven  by  God. 

My  Brethren,  let  us  examine  ourselves,  this  morning, 
on  these  two  Commandments.  We  are  living  in  an  age 
when  the  people  make  light  of  these  Commandments;  and 
in  a  country  where  one  would  judge  such  Commandments 
did  not  exist.  And  yet,  there  are  no  Commandments  upon 
the  keeping  of  which  God,  through  the  inspired  writers  in- 
sists so  strongly.  The  rich  break  them  and  the  poor  break 
them.  The  rich  by  their  unjust  exactions,  and  the  poor 
by  their  avarice  and  envy.  The  rich  are  the  stewards  of 
God,  and  will  have  to  render  a  strict  account  of  their  stew- 
ardship. The  poor  are  the  wards  of  God,  His  friends  and 
intimates,  and  He  considers  done  unto  Him  what  is  done 
unto  them.  Let  them  realize  their  'true  dignity.  "Woe  to 
you  that  are  rich,"  says  Christ,  "for  you  have  your  consola- 
tion ;"  and  again  He  says :  "It  is  easier  for  a  camel  to  pass 
through  the  eye  of  a  needle  than  for  a  rich  man  to  enter 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God."  Christ  did  not  come  in  affluence 
and  power.  He  came  in  poverty  and  humility.  His  life 
was  one  of  toil,  suffering  and  privation.  Envy  not  the  rich. 
Seek  not  wealth.  "The  desire  for  money,"  says  St.  Paul, 
"is  the  root  of  all  evils;  which  some  coveting  have  erred 
from  the  faith  and  have  entangled  themselves  in  many  sor- 
rows." God  knows  what  is  best  for  each  one  of  us.  Seek 
not  the  things  of  the  body;  but  seek  after  the  things  of  the 
soul.  Aim  at  the  higher  life.  We  are  not  beasts.  That 
man  is  happiest  and  most  blessed,  who  is  in  moderate  cir- 
cumstances and  possesses  virtue.  Allow  no  false  teachers, 
as  socialists  for  example,  to  deceive  you.  Earth  is  not 
our  heaven.  We  are  here  on  trial  and  probation.  Inequal- 
ities of  wealth,  position  and  talent  must  exist.  The  lot  of 
predestined  souls  must  be  one  of  conflict  and  suffering. 
Those  who  have  no  crosses  and  trials  forget  God,  their  souls 
and  eternity.  "I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life;" 
"If  any  man  will  be  My  disciple,  let  him  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  Me."  These  are  the  words  of  the  Infinite 
Wisdom. 


THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST. 
PREACHED  AT  HOLY  REDEEMER  CHURCH,  ASHLAND,  KY. 

It  was  the  Feast  of  the  Passover,  and  Jesus  called 
Peter  and  John  and  told  them  to  get  all  things  in  readiness 
for  it.  "But,  Master,"  replied  they,  "where  shall  we  cele- 
brate it?"  "Go  ye,"  said  Jesus,  "into  the  city,  and  there 
shall  you  meet  a  man  carrying  a  pitcher;  follow  him.  And 
whithersoever  he  shall  go  in,  say  to  the  master  of  the 
house:  'The  Master  saith  where  is  my  refectory  that  I  may 
eat  the  Pasch  with  my  disciples?'  And  he  will  show  you  a 
large  dining  room  furnished,  and  there  prepare  ye  for  us." 

On  the  evening  of  that  day,  Jesus  Christ  followed  by 
His  disciples,  entered  this  hall.  It  was  not  a  gorgeous  hall, 
decorated  in  costly  splendor,  as  some  fanciful  artists  have 
pictured  it.  No ;  it  was  a  plain  Jewish  hall  with  white  and 
unadorned  walls.  In  the  center  stood  a  long  low  table 
embellished  in  bright  colors.  One  side  was  left  open  for  the 
waiters  and  along  the  other  and  at  the  ends  were  arranged 
reclining  couches  for  the  guests.  Jesus  takes  His  place;  the 
Apostles  repose  around  Him.  John  the  Beloved  reclined 
to  His  right,  so  that  by  simply  turning  his  head  he  could 
rest  it  upon  the  Master's  breast.  Peter,  bent  on  seeing 
everything,  was  near  John,  eagerly  watching;  and  Judas 
Iscariot  reposed  hypocritically,  near  by. 

The  heart  of  Christ  was  now  filled  with  great  gladness, 
for  He  said  to  His  disciples :  "With  desire  I  have  desired  to 
eat  this  Pasch  with  you  before  I  suffer."  Then  moistening 
His  lips  with  the  cup,  as  the  Master  of  the  feast  was  wont 
to  do,  He  blessed  it  and  offered  it  to  His  disciples  to  be 
divided  among  them,  saying:  "But  for  Me,  I  will  not  drink 
of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  until  the  Kingdom  of  God  comes." 

Knowing  that  "His  hour  was  come,''  as  St.  John  says, 
"and  that  He  should  pass  out  of  this  world  to  the  Father, 
having  loved  his  own  who  were  in  the  world.  He  loved  them 
unto  the  end."  Out  of  the  excess  of  this  love  on  the  eve 

265 


266  THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST 

of  His  departure  He  must  perform  for  His  beloved  ones 
to  gladden  and  rejoice  their  hearts  forever  more,  the  grand- 
est miracle  of  His  charity,  a  miracle  which  would  tax,  so 
to  speak,  His  omnipotence ! 

And  when  supper  was  partly  over,  knowing  that  the 
Father  had  given  all  things  into  His  hands  and  that  He 
came  from  God  and  goeth  back  to  God,  He  riseth  and  lay- 
eth  aside  His  garments,  girds  himself  with  a  towel  and 
washes  and  wipes  His  disciples'  feet. 

The  ablution  being  over,  Christ  puts  on  His  garments, 
resumes  His  reclining  position  and  says :  "Know  you  not 
what  I  have  done  to  you?  You  call  Me  Master  and  Lord, 
and  you  say  well,  for  so  I  am.  If  then  I  being  your  Lord 
and  Master,  have  washed  your  feet,  you  ought  also  to  wash 
one  another's  feet.  For  I  have  given  you  an  example,  that 
as  I  have  done  to  you,  so  do  you  also." 

The  meal  was  drawing  to  a  close.  And  while  the 
apostles  were  still  eating,  Christ  arose,  took  bread  into  His 
hands,  and  after  blessing  it,  broke  it  and  gave  it  to  His 
disciples,  saying:  "Take  ye  and  eat;  this  is  My  body  which 
is  given  for  you.  Do  this  in  commemoration  of  Me."  Then 
He  took  the  chalice  and  after  giving  thanks,  He  gave  it  also 
to  them,  saying:  "Drink  ye  all  of  this  for  this  is  my  blood 
of  the  New  Testament  which  shall  be  shed  for  many  unto 
the  remission  of  sins." 

My  Brethren,  we  shall  not  enter  into  an  exegetical  dis- 
cussion of  the  texts  of  Scripture  in  support  of  the  doctrine 
of  the  Blessed  Eucharist.  We  shall  not  attempt  to  show 
that  the  doctrine  is  not  contrary  to  reason.  No;  I  am  com- 
ing more  and  more  to  the  conclusion  that  a  simple  state- 
ment of  the  truth  is  oftentimes  the  strongest  proof  to  sin- 
cere souls  seeking  light.  The  intellect  having  been  made  for 
truth,  truth  by  its  own  inherent  beauty,  harmony  and 
splendor  draws  the  intellect  to  itself.  Suffice  it  then  for  me 
to  remark  that  the  Blessed  Eucharist  was  foreshadowed  in 
the  Old  Law  by  the  oblation  of  bread  and  wine  by  Melchise- 
dech,  and  by  the  Hearth  cake  and  vessel  of  water  which 
the  angel  gave  to  Elias.  Its  effects  were  prefigured  by  the 
tree  of  life  which  had  been  planted  in  the  garden  of  Para- 


THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST  267 

dise,  and  by  the  Manna  which  fell  from  heaven  and  nour- 
ished the  Jews  in  the  desert.  Christ  in  this  Sacrament 
was  prefigured  by  all  the  ancient  sacrifices,  and  especially 
by  the  immolation  of  Isaac.  And  finally  the  Blessed  Eu- 
charist was  foreshadowed  and  prefigured  by  the  Paschal 
Lamb  most  perfectly.  Here  we  have  the  sign  of  the  Sacra- 
ment ;  the  Paschal  Lamb  was  eaten  with  bread ;  the  Paschal 
Lamb  preserved  the  Jews  from  the  devastating  hand  of  the 
angel  and  freed  them  from  Egyptian  bondage;  and  the 
Paschal  Lamb  was  first  immolated  and  then  eaten. 

Suffice  it  to  say  in  reference  to  the  reality  in  the  New 
Law,  that  I  firmly  believe  that  no  intelligent  person  can 
with  honesty  and  sincerity — having  put  aside  all  prejudice, 
and  with  a  simple  view  of  discerning  the  truth — read  the 
sixth  chapter  of  St.  John,  wherein  the  promise  is 
made,  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  St.  Mark,  the  twenty-sec- 
ond chapter  of  St.  Luke,  the  twenty-sixth  chapter  of  St. 
Matthew,  wherein  the  institution  is  described,  and  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  the  First  Epistle  of  St.  Paul  to  the 
Corinthians,  wherein  the  proper  use  of  the  Sacrament  is 
taught, — I  say,  and  I  ask  any  non-Catholic  to  make  the  ex- 
periment— that  I  firmly  believe  that  no  one  can  read  those 
chapters  with  intelligence  and  sincerity,  compare  them 
among  themselves  and  then  with  the  figures  I  have  referred 
to  in  the  Old  Testament,  without  coming  to  the  same  belief 
as  Catholics,  namely,  that  Christ  is  really,  truly  and  sub- 
stantially present  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist  under  the  ap- 
pearances of  bread  and  wine. 

Suffice  it  to  say  in  reference  to  the  mystery,  that  a 
Christian  who  believes  in  the  Blessed  Trinity  and  the  Incar- 
nation, should  find  no  difficulty  in  believing  in  the  Blessed 
Eucharist.  The  one  inquiry  for  any  Christian  is,  Has  the 
doctrine  been  revealed?  Has  Christ  taught  it?  Is  it  a  part 
of  God's  revelation  to  man?  If  so,  it  must  be  accepted, 
since  Infinite  Truth  cannot  be  deceived  and  Infinite  Sanc- 
tity cannot  deceive  us. 

My  Brethren,  in  God's  dealings  with  man  we  may  dis- 
tinguish three  great  epochs.  The  first  was  when  God 
created  man — when  He  made  him  to  his  own  image  and 


268  THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST 

likeness.  The  second  was  when  He  became  incarnate, — • 
when  He  took  flesh  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  And 
the  third  was  when  He  instituted  the  Blessed  Eucharist. 

Before  Adam  and  Eve  fell  and  lost  their  innocence 
and  holiness,  before  their  souls  had  become  soiled  by  sin, 
God  loved  to  look  upon  them,  seeing  His  own  image  in 
them.  In  the  enjoyment  of  all  natural  happiness,  they 
were  to  walk  through  the  earth  in  the  full  beauty  of  soul 
and  body  until  taken  up  into  Heaven.  But  when  they  sin- 
ned, they  lost  these  perfections  and  gifts.  Concupiscence 
now  seized  their  souls,  and  sickness  and  misery  and  death, 
their  bodies.  God  now  beheld  in  man  His  own  image  de- 
filed, and  He  no  longer  loved  to  gaze  upon  him. 

What  shall  He  do?  Shall  He  restore  man  to  his  prim- 
itive condition?  Shall  He  renew  in  him  His  pure  image? 
Great  as  this  act  of  love  and  goodness  would  be,  God  will 
do  something  greater.  He  will  do  something  which  infinite 
wisdom  and  goodness  alone  can  do.  He  will  send  into  the 
world  His  eternal  Son.  This  Son  will  unite  to  His  divine 
nature,  the  human  nature  of  man.  He  will  suffer  in  the 
human  nature,  and  on  account  of  its  being  united  to  the 
divine  in  the  person  of  the  Word,  the  sufferings  will  have 
an  infinite  value.  They  will  be  the  sufferings  of  God.  He 
will  redeem  man  not  only  from  original  sin,  but  also  from 
actual  sin.  Every  time  He  now  looks  down  upon  the  earth, 
He  gazes  upon  His  own  Son,  and  in  Him  He  sees  redeemed 
human  nature. 

But  this  is  not  all.  God  must  reach  the  individual. 
Not  only  was  human  nature  contaminated  by  the  fall,  but 
every  member  of  the  human  race, — every  individual  man 
sinned  in  Adam  and  the  image  of  God  was  defaced  in  him. 
Now  we  may  begin  to  see  the  great  reason  for  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Blessed  Eucharist.  God  desired  to  unite  Him- 
self to  every  man,  so  that  when  He  should  look  down 
from  heaven  He  would  see  Himself  not  only  in  human  na- 
ture, but  in  every  individual  member  of  the  human  race. 
For  when  man  receives  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  Christ  really, 
truly  and  substantially  dweUs  in  him,  and  man  is  united 
to  Jesus  Christ  by  the  closest  possible  union.  We  become 


THE  BLESSED  EUCHABIST  2(59 

as  St.  Cyril  says,  like  two  pieces  of  melted  wax  almost  in- 
distinguishably  one.  Behold  then,  the  great  reason  for  the 
institution  of  the  Blessed  Eucharist!  Behold  therein  dis- 
played the  greatest  love  and  goodness  and  wisdom! 

My  Brethren,  St.  Thomas  teaches  that  the  effects  of 
Holy  Communion  are  five.  First,  it  confers  grace,  because 
it  contains  Christ  who  is  the  fount  and  origin  of  all  grace ; 
"As  the  living  Father  has  sent  Me  and  as  I  live  by  the 
Father,  so  he  that  eateth  Me,  the  same  shall  live  by  Me." 
Secondly,  it  plants  within  us  the  seeds  of  immortality,  be- 
cause it  gives  us  the  power  of  coming  to  the  possession  of 
eternal  life:  "If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  the  same  shall 
live  forever."  Thirdly,  it  remits  venial  sins,  because  it  is 
taken  under  the  species  of  nutritious  food:  "I  am  the 
bread  of  life."  But  it  is  the  property  of  food  to  repair 
the  waste  of  the  body;  and  venial  sins  are  a  waste  and  a 
drain  upon  the  soul.  Fourthly,  it  takes  away  some  of  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin,  because  it  unites  us  with 
Christ  through  charity,  and  it  is  fitting  that  the  fervor  of 
charity  should  remit  some  of  the  pain  due  to  our  sins. 
Fifthly,  it  is  a  remedy  against  future  sins,  and  this  is  one 
of  the  effects  on  which  we  cannot  insist  too  strongly  nor 
bring  out  too  prominently.  Bear  with  me  while  I  give  the 
reasoning  of  the  "Angel  of  the  Schools"  on  this  point. 

Sin,  says  St.  Thomas,  is  the  spiritual  death  of  the 
soul.  Now  the  soul  is  preserved  from  spiritual  death  just 
as  the  body  is  preserved  from  physical  death.  The  death 
of  the  body  is  caused  in  two  ways; — either  from  inward 
decay  or  from  an  external  cause.  In  the  first  case,  the  body 
is  preserved  from  death  by  food  and  medicine.  In  the  sec- 
ond place,  it  is  preserved  from  death  by  the  use  of  its  own 
members  with  which  it  may  ward  off  the  attacks  of  its  ene- 
mies. Now  the  soul  by  the  Sacrament  of  the  Eucharist  is 
preserved  from  death  in  both  these  ways.  The  body  and 
blood  of  Christ,  being  spiritual  food  and  medicine,  imparts 
new  strength  and  life.  And  being  a  memorial  of  Christ's 
Passion  by  which  the  devils  were  put  to  flight  and  con- 
quered, it  drives  off  the  evil  spirits  and  renders  their  at- 
tacks harmless.  For,  as  St.  John  Chrysostom  says,  we 


270  THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST 

come  away  from  the  Communion  table,  as  lions  breathing 
forth  slaughter  and  terrible  to  the  devil.  Yes,  the  Blessed 
Eucharist  is  the  greatest  remedy  against  sin!  If  we  only 
realized  fully  this  great  truth,  what  a  wonderful  change 
would  come  over  the  face  of  the  earth!  As  the  body  must 
grow  weak,  decay,  and  die  without  corporal  food,  so  must 
the  soul  die  without  this  spiritual  heavenly  food ! 

My  Brethren,  the  Real  Presence  in  the  Blessed  Sacra- 
ment is  the  central  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  worship.  Upon 
it  hinge  and  around  it  move  all  other  devotions.  If  any 
devotion  lead  its  devotees  to  the  foot  of  the  altar  and  the 
Communion  Table,  we  can  rest  assured  that  it  is  orthodox; 
whereas,  if  it  lead  them  away,  let  us  beware, — we  are  tread- 
ing dangerous  ground. 

The  Eeal  Presence  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist  is  the 
magnet  which  draws  millions  and  millions  to  our  Churches. 
It  is  that  which  brings  at  all  hours  under  great  inconven- 
ience thousands  to  our  Churches  to  pray,  if  only  for  a 
few  moments.  It  is  the  abiding  of  Christ  on  our  altars 
that  makes  our  Churches  so  sacred,  forbidding  anything 
profane  to  come  nigh.  It  is  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  that  causes  that  awful  stillness  within  the  por- 
tals of  our  Churches.  It  is  Jesus  Christ  dwelling  within 
the  Tabernacle  that  causes  Catholics  to  genuflect  on  enter- 
ing the  Church,  and  to  remain  in  silent  prayer  with  bowed 
head  and  uplifted  hands. 

The  Blessed  Eucharist  is  the  source  of  sanctification 
within  the  (Church.  Do  away  with  it  and  no  more  saints 
will  be  canonized.  If  you  ask  why  thousands  of  men  and 
women  can  live  the  lives  of  angels  in  the  flesh? — I  point  to 
the  Blessed  Eucharist  as  the  reason.  If  you  ask  why  men 
and  women  can  leave  home  and  country  and  kindred  to 
live  a  life  of  prayer,  mortification  and  devotion? — I  point 
to  the  Blessed  Eucharist  as  the  reason.  If  you  ask  why  so 
many  men  and  women  during  the  first  ages  of  the  Church 
went  to  the  dungeon  and  the  rack  as  cheerfully  as  brides 
to  their  nuptials? — I  point  to  the  Blessed  Eucharist  as  the 
reason.  If  you  ask  why  the  Christians  of  the  First  Cen- 
turies were  so  dead  to  the  things  of  this  world  and  so  alive 


THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST  271 

to  the  things  of  heaven  ? — I  point  to  the  Blessed  Eucharist 
as  the  reason ;  the  early  Christians  communicated  daily. 

The  Blessed  Eucharist  is  the  wine  which  begets  virgins 
and  martyrs.  Take  it  out  of  our  Church,  and  soon  the 
doors  of  our  monasteries  and  nunneries  will  close,  and  our 
priests  and  sisters  will  wed.  Do  away  with  it  and  you  will 
close  the  doors  of  our  hospitals,  asylums  and  charitable 
institutions.  No  more  St.  Pauls,  no  more  St.  Patricks,  no 
more  St.  Francis  Xaviers,  no  more  St.  Vincent  de  Pauls, 
no  more  St.  Caecilias,  St.  Agathas  and  St.  Ursulas  in  the 
Catholic  Church,  if  you  do  away  with  the  Blessed  Euchar- 
ist. Truly  the  Blessed  Eucharist  is  the  sun  of  all  religious 
life  and  holiness  upon  this  earth! 

A  few  words  from  the  "Fathers"  on  the  Blessed  Eu- 
charist and  we  have  done.  St.  Ignatius  of  the  First  Cen- 
tury, Bishop  of  Antioch  cried  out  on  his  way  to  martyr- 
dom :  "I  wish  for  God's  bread,  heavenly  bread,  bread  of 
life  which  is  the  flesh  of  Jesus  Christ  *  *  *  and  I  wish  for 
God's  drink,  His  blood,  which  is  love  without  corruption 
and  life  forever  more."  St.  Irenaeus  of  the  II  Century, 
the  faithful  disciple  of  St.  Polycarp,  says:  "Since  therefore 
both  the  mingled  cup  and  the  created  bread  receive  the 
word  of  God  and  the  Eucharist  becomes  Christ's  body  and 
blood,  and  out  of  these  the  substance  of  flesh  increases  and 
subsists,  how  can  they  say  that  the  flesh  is  not  capable  of 
the  gift  of  God,  which  is  eternal  life?"  St.  Cyprian  of  the 
III  Century,  writing  to  Cornelius,  exclaims:  "For  how  can 
we  teach  or  urge  them  to  shed  their  blood  in  confession  of 
the  name  of  Jesus,  if  we  refuse  them  on  the  eve  of  the  com- 
bat, the  blood  of  Christ?"  The  great  Gregory  of  the  Fourth 
Century  cries  out:  "But  without  shame  or  doubt,  eat  the 
Body  and  drink  the  Blood  of  G-od,  if  thou  desirest  eternal 
life."  St.  John  Chrysostom  of  the  some  Century  writes} 
"We  eat  not  manna,  but  we  feed  on  the  Lord's  body;  we 
drink  not  from  a  rock,  but  from  His  side."  And  finally  St. 
Augustine  of  the  V  Century  says:  "They  come  unto  Him 
that  they  may  crucify  Him;  let  us  go  unto  Him  that  we 
may  receive  His  body  and  blood/' 


272  THE  BLESSED  EUCHARIST 

In  conclusion,  my  brethren,  let  me  ask  you,  do  you 
receive  Jesus  Christ  often  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist?  You 
cannot  live  a  spiritual  life  without  frequent  communion: 
"Unless  you  eat  of  My  body  and  drink  of  My  blood,  you 
cannot  have  life  in  you."  Do  you  visit  Jesus  Christ  often 
in  the  Blessed  Sacrament?  He  is  the  great  physician  of 
all  the  ills  of  heart  and  soul.  He  invites  you  to  come  to 
Him  often,  that  He  may  refresh  you:  "Come  unto  Me,  all 
you  that  are  heavily  laden  and  burdened,  and  I  will  re- 
fresh you."  Are  you  recollected  and  reverential  in  Church? 
Kemember  the  great  King  of  heaven  and  earth  is  in  the 
Tabernacle  and  myriads  of  angels  are  hovering  around, 
adoring  and  praising  Him! 


EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 
PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

X 

My  Dear  Brethren :— The  Eighth  Commandment  is, 
"Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor." 
You  see  this  Commandment  is  negative  in  form,  that  is,  it 
forbids  us  to  do  certain  things.  According  to  the  letter, 
we  are  forbidden  to  tell  lies  about  our  neighbor,  and  conse- 
quently are  commanded  to  speak  the  truth  about  him.  But 
the  Eighth  Commandment  comprises  a  great  deal  more  than 
this.  By  it  we  are  forbidden  to  lie,  to  equivocate,  to  inquire 
into  secrets,  to  reveal  them,  to  suspect  our  neighbor,  to 
lessen  his  reputation  and  to  insult  him. 

My  Brethren,  the  peace  and  stability  of  civil  society 
depend  to  a  great  extent  on  the  keeping  of  the  Eighth  Com- 
mandment. Business  is  founded  on  faith  and  confidence; 
and  without  truthfulness  we  cannot  have  faith  and  confi- 
dence in  our  fellow  man.  Quarrels,  strifes  and  murders 
to  a  great  extent  are  caused  by  the  disregard  of  this  Com- 
mandment. Our  perfection  too,  in  a  great  measure  depends 
upon  the  keeping  of  this  Commandment;  "If  any  man," 
says  St.  James,  "think  himself  religious  not  bridling  his 
tongue,  but  deceiving  his  own  heart,  this  man's  religion  is 
vain."  And  yet,  my  brethren,  there  is  no  Commandment 
which  is  broken  oftener  than  the  Eighth  Commandment, 
and  by  religious  people  too,  in  some  way  or  other.  This 
morning  in  our  Catechetical  instruction,  we  shall  enter  into 
some  of  its  details. 

What  is  lying?  It  is  some  word  spoken  by  us,  or  some 
act  done  by  us  with  the  intention  of  deceiving  our  neigh- 
bor or  leading  his  mind  into  error.  The  mind  has  been 
made  for  truth.  The  possession  of  truth  is  its  perfection, 
hence,  it  has  the  right  to  the  truth.  In  that  consists  the 
malice  of  lying.  An  act  done  with  the  intention  of  deceiving 
our  neighbor  is  called  deceit;  and  when  it  is  done  by  a  sin- 
ner to  make  out  that  he  is  just,  it  is  termed  hypocrisy.  It 

273 


274  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT 

is  not  a  lie  to  say  something  which  we  believe  to  be  true, 
although  it  is  not.  To  lying  also  is  referred  adulation  and 
flattery.  But  it  is  no  harm  to  tell  a  jocose  lie  for  the  pur- 
pose of  recreation  if  your  hearers  know  the  truth  and  are 
not  deceived.  There  is  also  the  officious  lie  of  which  our 
business  and  professional  men  are  often  guilty.  If  our 
neighbor  be  not  hurt  thereby,  this  species  of  lying,  is  not  a 
grievous,  but  only  a  light  sin.  But  a  malicious  lie — a  lie 
which  injures  our  neighbor  either  in  his  character  or  his 
goods — is  a  mortal  and  grievous  sin.  And  if  to  it  be  added  an 
oath  it  becomes  perjury,  which  is  a  great  crime  against 
God  and  society.  We  are  bound  in  justice  and  before  the 
sin  can  be  forbidden,  to  repair  the  injury  we  have  done. 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Eighth  Commandment  we  are  not 
always  obliged  to  speak  out  our  whole  mind.  And  in  some 
cases  mental  restriction  is  most  prudent.  We  have  the  ex- 
ample of  our  Divine  Lord  in  this  matter.  That  his  enemies 
might  be  in  doubt  about  some  of  His  teaching  is  one  of  the 
reasons  why  He  spoke  in  parables : — "That  they  might  have 
ears  and  hear  not."  But,  if  we  use  words  in  an  equivocal 
and  distorted  sense,  and  our  hearers  have  no  way  of  dis- 
covering their  true  meaning,  then  such  mental  restriction 
becomes  a  lie  and  is  forbidden.  Let  me  say  too,  that  for 
any  mental  restriction  there  must  be  always  a  sufficient 
reason. 

By  the  Eighth  Commandment  we  are  forbidden  to  re- 
veal secrets  without  a  just  cause.  And  the  grievousness  of 
the  sin  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  nature  of  the  secret. 
If  our  neighbor  is  injured  through  the  revelation  of  the 
secret,  we  are  bound  to  repair  the  injury.  However,  for  a 
just  cause  we  can  reveal  a  secret;  as  for  example,  if  the 
court  were  to  demand  it  and  it  be  necessary  for  the 
public  good;  or  if  we  want  advice  we  may  reveal  it  to  a 
prudent  person.  Since  we  must  keep  secrets,  then  without  a 
sufficient  reason  we  are  forbidden  to  pry  into  secrets. 
Hence,  outside  the  case  of  parents  and  superiors  we  are 
forbidden  to  open  the  letters  of  others. 

My  Brethren,  by  the  Eighth  Commandment,  we  are 
forbidden  to  hurt  the  good  name  of  our  neighbor.  We  sin 


THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT  275 

against  this  part  of  the  precept  in  two  ways;  first,  by  rash 
judgments  and  suspicions;  secondly,  by  detraction.  We 
judge  a  person  rashly,  when  without  a  sufficient  reason  we 
think  him  wicked  or  evil.  Such  a  sin  by  its  very  nature  is 
serious  and  mortal.  We  commit  the  sin  of  suspicion,  when 
without  a  motive  we  doubt  the  honesty  of  some  one.  This 
sin  as  a  rule,  is  not  mortal.  We  sin  by  detraction  when  we 
give  expression  to  our  rash  judgments  and  suspicions.  De- 
traction is  a  mortal  sin  and  we  are  bound  by  justice  to  make 
reparation  just  as  much  so  as  if  we  stole  our  neighbor's 
goods.  When  we  spread  a  false  report  about  our  neighbor, 
and  it  is  injurious,  and  hurts  friendship  too,  then  the  sin 
takes  on  a  new  species  and  becomes  a  calum,ny.  No  cause 
will  excuse  the  sin  of  calumny.  It  is  something  intrinsi- 
cally evil,  a  grievous  sin  and  never  permissible.  In  certain 
cases,  however,  and  under  certain  circumstances,  we  are  al- 
lowed to  make  known  the  sins  and  faults  of  our  neighbor. 
For  the  purpose  of  correction  we  can  make  known  the  sins 
of  children  to  their  parents  or  superiors.  We  can  also,  for 
the  purpose  of  consolation  or  advice  speak  of  the  faults  of 
others  to  prudent  men.  For  the  good  of  our  hearers  that 
they  may  avoid  like'  faults  or  correct  them  we  may  speak  of 
the  crimes  of  others.  For  the  good  of  the  community  we 
may  publish  the  faults  of  our  officials.  However,  in  all 
these  cases,  that  it  may  be  lawful  there  must  be  certain 
conditions.  There  must  be  absent  the  feeling  of  malice,  and' 
the  evil  to  be  averted  must  be  proportionable  to  the  evit 
arising  from  the  detraction.  The  crime  must  be  made  known 
to  as  few  as  possible,  and  we  must  have  gotten  our  know- 
ledge legitimately. 

Finally,  My  Brethren,  we  sin  against  the  Eighth  Com- 
mandment by  contumely:  which  is  some  word  or  act  by 
which  we  insult  our  neighbor.  As  for  example,  to  accuse 
some  one  in  the  presence  of  others  of  a  crime,  or  to  say  that 
he  is  indolent,  or  to  wish  him  evil,  or  to  ridicule  him,  or 
to  submit  him  to  some  humiliation.  Contumely,  as  a  rule, 
is  a  grievous  sin,  but  oftentimes  the  want  of  reflection,  or 
the  low  state  of  the  person  insulted  makes  it  only  a  slight 
sin.  For  the  sake  of  correction  in  those  who  have  author- 


276  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT 

ity,  or  for  the  purpose  of  recreation  it  ceases  to  be  a  sin, 
and  may  be  a  praiseworthy  act.  It  is  unnecessary  to  add. 
that  if  we  have  insulted  those  in  authority,  natural,  civil, 
or  religious,  we  are  bound  to  make  reparation. 

In  conclusion,  My  Brethren,  allow  me  to  say  that  if 
the  Eighth  Commandment  were  kept  in  spirit,  this  world 
would  be  almost  a  paradise.  Many  of  the  crosses,  trials, 
afflictions  and  heart  aches  come  from  the-  non-observance 
of  this  Commandment.  Let  us  put  aside  all  deception, 
trickery  and  lying  and  cultivate  the  spirit  of  candor,  frank- 
ness and  truthfulness.  Let  us  be  most  kind  in  our  thoughts, 
judgments  and  words.  Let  us  be  forgiving.  As  we  judge 
others  so  will  God  judge  us.  There  is  no  one  so  bad  who 
has  not  some  good  in  him,  and  no  one  so  good  who  has  not 
some  flaw  in  him.  Let  us  take  the  beam  out  of  our  own  eye 
before  we  look  for  the  mote  in  our  brother's  eye,  as  Christ 
teaches  us.  And  He  says  again :  "Judge  not  lest  you  shall 
be  judged;"  "Let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon  your  wrath;" 
"If  you  have  an  offering  to  make  to'the  Lord,  go  first  and 
be  reconciled  to  your  brother."  How  can  we  say  the  "Our 
Father"  and  entertain  hard  feelings  towards  our  brother? 
We  there  ask  God  to  forgive  us  our  faults  against  Him, 
as  we  forgive  others  their  faults  against  us.  The  Christian 
who  says  the  "Our  Father"  and  allows  hard  feelings  to  re- 
main in  his  breast  is  a  hypocrite.  We  cannot  keep  the 
Eighth  Commandment  unless  we  are  filled  with  the  spirit 
of  love.  And  we  cannot  get  this  love  except  from  God,  its 
centre  and  source.  Let  us  beseech  God  frequently  for  it, 
and  especially  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  in  the  Blessed 
Eucharist. 


SERMON  ON  CHURCH  AND  STATE. 
PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUXTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren : — After  having  heard  Christ's  severe 
but  only  too  true  arraignment  of  their  cruelty  and  ingrati- 
tude towards  His  heavenly  Father  under  the  parable  of  the 
vine  dresser  and  wedding  feast,  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees 
despaired  of  ever  conquering  the  Christ  by  their  own  efforts. 
And  they  proceeded  now  to  take  counsel  of  the  Herodians, 
Roman  courtiers  for  whom  they  had  only  the  greatest 
aversion. 

It  was  decided  at  the  conference  to  put  some  question 
to  Christ,  which,  no  matter  how  He  answered  it,  would  in- 
volve His  ruin.  But  it  must  be  asked  by  those  who  would 
excite  no  suspicion;  otherwise  Christ  by  a  single  word,  as 
He  had  done  on  another  occasion,  might  expose  the  snare 
wherewith  they  wished  to  entangle  Him.  It  was  therefore 
agreed  that  the  Herodians  should  ask  the  question.  How- 
ever, as  a  further  precaution  they  were  to  pretend  to  be 
engaged  in  a  serious  discussion,  and  thus  approach  Christ 
to  settle  the  difficulty. 

Under  this  hypocritical  guise  they  went  to  Christ  with 
great  demonstrations  of  reverence  and  said:  "Teacher,  we 
know  that  Thou  art  true  and  teacheth  the  way  of  God  in 
truth;  neither  carest  Thou  for  any  one;  for  Thou  dost  not 
regard  the  person  of  men;  tell  us  therefore  what  thinkest 
Thou?  Is  it  lawful  to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar  or  not?"  How 
should  Christ  escape  the  snare?  It  seemed  quite  impos- 
sible. If  He  answered  in  the  negative  and  said  it  were  not 
lawful,  then  He  would  incur  the  vengeance  of  Rome.  If 
He  answered  in  the  affirmative  and  said  it  were  lawful, 
then  He  would  arouse  the  anger  and  fury  of  the  Jews,  who 
would  say  that  He  was  trying  to  curry  favor  with  Rome. 
But  in  Christ  dwelt  the  wisdom  of  the  Godhead,  and  seeing 
the  pitfall,  He  turned  to  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  (for  the 
Herodians  were  simply  their  instruments),  and  said  "Why 
tempt  Me  hypocrites?  Show  Me  the  tribute  money/' 

277 


278  SERMON  ON  CHURCH  AND  STATE 

Now,  it  was  forbidden  by  the  law  for  the  Jews  to  have 
in  their  possession  any  metal  stamped  with  an  idolatrous 
emblem.  And  a  Roman  denarius  was  such,  containing  the 
image  of  Caesar.  There  was  a  special  coin  authorized  by 
Borne  for  the  Jews  of  Judea,  which  bore  simply  the  name 
of  Caesar.  However,  some  one  in  the  crowd  passed  up  a 
genuine  Roman  denarius,  which  displayed  on  one  side  the 
figure  of  Tiberius  with  the  inscription,  "Tiberius  Caesar. 
Son  of  the  Divine  Augustus."  "Whose  is  the  image  and 
inscription?"  They  say  to  Him,  "Caesar's".  The  answer 
contained  their  condemnation,  for  according  to  the  teach- 
ings of  the  famous  Rabbi,  to  accept  the  money  of  a  sov- 
ereign was  to  acknowledge  his  power.  And  if  they  ac- 
knowledged his  power  and  reaped  the  advantage  of  his  pro- 
tection by  what  right  could  they  refuse  to  pay  taxes?  And 
then  Christ  concluded,  "Render  to  Caesar  the  things  that 
are  Caesar's  and  to  God  the  things  which  are  God's." 

The  Scribes  and  Pharisees  seeing  that  it  was  now  im- 
possible to  incite  the  people  against  Christ,  retired  in  con- 
fusion. But  three  days  after  in  Pilate's  Praetorium  we  find 
them  calumniating  Him,  saying  that  He  forbade  the  people 
to  pay  tribute  to  Caesar. 

My  Brethren,  there  are  two  important  lessons  taught 
us  in  today's  Gospel;  first,  that  there  are  two  powers  or 
two  authorities  in  this  world;  namely,  the  spiritual  and 
civil,  or  the  Church  and  the  State;  and  secondly,  that  to 
both  of  them  we  owe  allegiance  and  have  duties  and  obli- 
gations. <  .  .-^v 

Man  has  been  placed  in  this  world  on  trial  and  proba- 
tion. By  the  fall  of  Adam  and  Eve,  his  intellect  has  been 
darkened  and  his  will  has  been  weakened.  But  God  in  His 
goodness  raised  him  to  a  supernatural  state;  therefore  the 
need  of  a  spiritual  power  and  authority.  However,  God  no 
longer  directs  man  by  the  Patriarchs  and  Prophets.  And 
Christ  lived  but  thirty-three  years  on  this  earth,  and  only 
three  of  them  were  given  up  to  public  teaching.  God  must 
therefore  have  a  representative  in  this  world;  and  the 
Church  is  that  representative;  because  to  her  was  said: 
"Going  therefore  into  the  whole  world  teaching  all  nations. 


SERMON  ox  CHUKCH  AND  STATE  279 

And  behold  I  am  with  you  all  days  even  to  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  worldf'  "I  will  send  the  Holy  Ghost  upon  you 
Who  will  teach  you  all  truth  and  bring  all  things  to  your 
mind  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you;"  "He  that  will 
riot  hear  the  Church  let  him  be  as  a  heathen  and  a  pub- 
lican." 

Man  is  a  social,  dependent  being,  in  whom  there  is  a 
rebellious  will  and  a  selfish  and  unjust  spirit.  Conse- 
quently there  must  be  civil  society  for  man  to  live  in,  and 
in  it  there  must  be  authority  to  compel  man  to  perform  cer- 
tain duties  necessary  to  the  existence  of  the  State,  and  to 
make  him  respect  the  rights  of  others.  In  the  very  creation 
of  man  then,  God  has  instituted  and  sanctioned  govern- 
ment. And  all  legitimate  governments  are  lawful.  It  mat- 
ters not  what  form  they  may  take;  whether  the  authority 
be  vested  in  a  king,  or  an  emperor  or  in  a  president,  it  must 
be  respected  and  upheld,  and  to  those  rulers  we  owe  alle- 
giance; for  the  form  of  government  is  but  an  accident.  St. 
Paul  says,  "Princes  are  not  a  terror  to  the  good  and  bear 
not  the  sword  in  vain;  and  he  who  resisteth  them  resisteth 
the  power  of  God." 

The  two  powers,  therefore,  have  the  sanction  of  God 
and  have  a  special  work  to  do,  and  are  independent  in  their 
own  spheres.  But  this  does  not  mean  that  one  does  not 
need  the  assistance  of  the  other,  and  can  thrive  without  it. 
No;  the  State  needs  the  Church  to  teach  the  people  to 
have  respect  for  its  rulers  and  to  obey  its  laws.  And  the 
Church  needs  the  State  to  protect  her  in  her  rights  and 
to  compel  the  observance  of  some  necessary  laws.  Both  pow- 
ers are  intended  by  God  and  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  to 
render  mutual  help  and  assistance.  Whenever  there  is  a 
clash  between  the  two  authorities,  as  the  spiritual  is  above 
the  temporal  and  the  State  is  fallible,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  to  whom  obedience  must- be  given.  And  we  must 
answer  in  the  words  of  the  Apostles,  when  forbidden  to 
preach  Christ,  "We  must  obey  God  rather  than  man." 

My  Brethren,  true  history  will  bear  me  out  in  what 
I  say,  that  whenever  there  has  been  a  conflict  in  the  past 
between  the  Church  and  the  State,  invariablv  it  was  caused 


280  SERMON  ON  CHURCH  AND  STATE 

by  the  State's  trying  to  invade  the  domain  of  the  Church, 
trying  to  enslave  the  Church,  trying  to  make  a  tool  of  her  to 
advance  some  unworthy  object.  But  the  Church  has  a 
right,  yea,  a  duty,  to  resist  such  encroachments.  And  this 
she  has  done  from  the  very  beginning.  And  every  age  has 
given  us  valiant  champions  of  the  rights  of  the  Church, 
especially  in  the  occupants  of  the  See  of  Peter.  And  Pius 
X,  is  at  present  fighting  a  glorious  battle  for  the  rights  and 
liberties  of  the  Church  against  the  machinations  of  the 
French  and  the  Spanish  governments. 

In  conclusion,  My  Brethren,  let  us  resolve  to  respect  all 
our  civil  rulers  and  to  obey  all  just  laws  not  through  fear, 
but  from  a  conscientious  motive.  If  an  injustice  is  done,  let 
us  appeal  to  an  enlightened  public  opinion  and  the  ballot, 
remembering  that  a  revolution  is  seldom  lawful,  and  he 
who  resisteth  the  powers,  resisteth  the  will  of  God.  Let  us 
respect  and  reverence  the  rulers  of  God's  Church;  for  they 
are  God's  representatives,  and  Christ's  ambassadors,  and 
the  dispensers  of  the  mysteries  of  the  heavenly  kingdom. 
Christ  considers  done  unto  Him,  in  a  certain  sense,  what- 
ever is  done  unto  them;  for  He  says,  "He  that  despiseth 
you,  despiseth  Me,  and  he  that  despiseth  Me  despiseth  Him 
that  sent  Me."  Let  us  willingly  obey  the  laws  of  the 
Church.  Yea,  we  must  go  farther  and  try  to  imbibe  her 
spirit,  always  remembering  the  words:  "I  am  with  you  all 
days  even  to  the  end  of  the  world;"  "He  that  will  not 
hear  the  Church  let  him  be  as  a  heathen  and  a  Publican." 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK. 
PREACHED  AT  MASON  CITY,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — At  the  in- 
vitation of  your  zealous  and  beloved  pastor,  I  have  come  to 
speak  on  St.  Patrick — his  life,  character  and  work.  Al- 
though I  have  a  German  name,  I  have  as  much,  perhaps 
more  Irish  than  German  in  my  make-up,  for  my  mother's 
parents  came  from  Ireland,  and  Quinn  and  Quinnigan  were 
their  family  names.  However,  it  matters  not  what  I  am, 
nor  the  nationality  of  my  parents;  for  I  am  one  of  those 
who  believe  that  greatness  is  not  confined  to  any  country; 
it  is  indigenous  to  every  clime  and  is  found  among  all 
nations,  races  and  people.  I  admire  nobility  of  soul  and 
greatness  of  mind  wherever  found,  and  may  I  become  an 
outcast  and  be  despised  by  my  countrymen,  if  ever  I  at- 
tempt to  belittle  a  grand  and  noble  character  on  account 
of  his  race,  creed  or  nationality. 

Just  as  the  country  has  its  heroes; — men  who  have 
distinguished  themselves  on  the  field  of  battle  or  in  the 
councils  of  the  nation;  men  whom  she  holds  up  for  the 
admiration  and  imitation  of  her  people;  men  whose  deeds 
of  valor  and  state-craft  she  celebrates  in  song  and  poetry 
and  oratory  on  each  recurring  natal  day;  so  likewise  the 
Catholic  Church  has  her  spiritual  heroes; — men  and  wo- 
men who  by  the  sanctity  of  their  lives  and  glorious  deeds 
for  the  cause  of  Christ  and  His  kingdom  have  shed  luster 
on  Christianity  and  advanced  its  cause;  men  and  women 
whom  she  holds  up  for  our  admiration  and  imitation;  and 
whom  on  account  of  their  now  reigning  with  God  in  heaven, 
she  exhorts  us  to  invoke  as  intercessors.  Yes,  the  canon- 
ized saints  of  the  Catholic  Church  are  our  spiritual  heroes. 
Besides  having  the  divine  sanction,  we  do  but  follow  the  in- 
stincts of  nature  and  the  dictates  of  reason  in  honoring 
them. 

Now  in  this  glorious  galaxy,  with  the  exception  of  St. 
Paul  and  perhaps  St.  Francis  Xavier,  there  is  not  one  who 

281 


282  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATUICK 

has  extended  more  the  empire  of  Christ  over  the  souls  of 
men,  than  he,  of  whom  I  am  to  speak.  In  the  catalogue  of 
Saints  I  know  of  none  whose  perceptible  work  is  greater 
or  more  lasting  than  that  of  St.  Patrick,  the  apostle  of 
Ireland.  This  fact,  the  living,  exuberant  faith  of  the 
Irish,  their  universality  and  tenacity  may  explain  why  the 
17th  of  March  is  kept  as  a  semi-holiday  the  world  over, 
why  St.  Patrick  has  become,  so  to  speak,  a  universal  pa- 
tron, whose  memory  is  honored  in  almost  every  country 
under  the  sun. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  this  age  is  a  skeptical 
one.  Almost  every  truth  has  been  called  into  question.  It 
is  then  not  surprising,  although  quite  amusing  that  the 
very  existence  of  St.  Patrick  should  be  questioned.  And 
it  is  questioned,  too,  by  a  man  with  some  claims  to  scholar- 
ship— Doctor  Ledwich,  the  vicar  of  Agaboe.  His  objection 
is  twofold.  First,  he  says  that  no  mention  is  made  of  St. 
Patrick  by  any  writer  during  the  V,  VI,  VII  and  VIII 
Centuries,  not  until  Nemius'  work  appeared  in  the  year  .850. 
Secondly,  he  says  that  several  writers  in  their  lives  of  St. 
Patrick  have  attributed  to  him  an  incredible  number  of 
stupendous  miracles.  We  deny,  "in  toto",  his  first  asser- 
tion. In  the  V  Century,  St.  Frich,  a  disciple  of  St.  Pat- 
rick, writes  about  him.  In  the  VI  Century  St.  Columbanus, 
the  Irish  Apostle  of  Scotland,  ends  a  transcription  of  the 
Gospel  with  a  prayer  to  the  holy  Bishop  Patrick.  In  the 
VII  Century,  we  have  several  writers  referring  to  him, 
among  whom  we  may  mention  the  Abbot  of  lona,  St.  Cui- 
min  of  Connor  and  Adaman.  In  the  VIII  Century,  we  have 
a  collection  of  Irish  canons  decreed  by  St.  Patrick;  and  in 
the  famous  Stowe  Missal,  which  is  admitted  by  Dr.  Todd 
to  be  as  old  as  the  Eighth  Century,  we  find  his  name.  To 
the  second  objection,  we  answer  that  although  to  narrate 
an  incredible  number  of  miracles  as  having  been  performed 
by  St.  Patrick  may  throw  some  doubt  on  the  other  facts 
narrated  by  the  same  author,  still,  it  is  no  valid  objection 
against  the  existence  of  the  main  character.  And  it  loses 
all  its  weight  and  falls  to  the  ground,  when  we  have  numer- 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK  283 

ous  and  indubitable  testimony  from  other  sources;  and 
such  is  the  case  with  St.  Patrick. 

That  St.  Patrick  was  not  a  mythical  person,  we  have 
evidence  so  strong  and  convincing,  that  if  you  doubt  it, 
away  must  go  all  historical  knowledge;  we  can  know  noth- 
ing of  the  past;  we  must  become  historical  skeptics.  Be- 
sides what  I  have  adduced  from  the  V  to  the  VIII  Century, 
we  have,  at  least,  the  testimony  of  more  than  thirty  writers 
and  historians  of  different  countries  to  the  existence  of 
St.  Patrick.  In  the  XVI  Century  we  have  two  lives  written 
of  him,  one  by  Petrus  de  Natalibus,  and  the  other  by  the 
Archbishop  of  Florence.  In  the  XIV  Century,  we  have  the 
learned  James  Voragine  writing  of  him.  In  the  XII  Cen- 
tury, we  have  St.  Bernard  of  Clairvaux  calling  St.  Patrick 
the  Apostle  who  converted  the  Irish  nation  to  the  faith. 
Sigebert,  the  best  poet  and  most  universal  scholar  of  the 
Eleventh  Century,  makes  honorable  mention  of  him. 
Usuard,  Kaban  and  Alquin  of  the  IX  Century  write  about 
him.  This  carries  us  back  to  the  Eighth  Century.  In 
every  Century,  then  from  the  Fifth  to  the  present  we  have 
a  host  of  writers  testifying  to  the  existence,  life  and  work 
of  St.  Patrick. 

I  have  paid  some  attention  to  these  objections  of  Dr. 
Ledwich  on  account  of  his  name,  and  because  I  know  that 
you  have  already  heard  or  will  hear  them.  This  is  my 
apology  for  answering  them.  As  a  conclusion,  I  wish  to 
quote  Cardinal  Moran,  the  Irish  antiquarian  anent  the  sub- 
ject— "All  the  Christian  traditions  of  Ireland  are  clustered 
around  the  memory  of  St.  Patrick.  Her  hills  and  islands 
and  streamlets  and  fountains  reecho  his  name.  Every 
monument  that  traces  the  line  of  separation  between  Chris- 
tianity and  paganism  in  Ireland  rests  for  its  basis  on  his 
existence." 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  if  seven  cities  have  con- 
.tended  for  the  birth  of  Homer,  the  Grecian  bard,  almost 
as  many  countries  have  contended  for  the  birth  of  St.  Pat- 
rick. Ireland,  England,  Scotland,  Wales  and  France,  each 
has  its  claim.  But  the  question  narrows  itself  down  to 
Scotland  and  France.  The  great  honor  of  having  given 


284  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 

birth  to  the  glorious  Apostle  of  sweet  Erin  lies  between 
Scotland  and  France.  Each  country  has  the  weight  of 
great  authorities,  on  its  side.  One  body  of  learned  anti- 
quarians tells  that  he  was  born  at  Kilpatrick,  between  Dun- 
britton  and  Glasgow;  another,  equally  as  learned,  says 
that  he  was  born  at  Bologna,  on  the  north  western  coast  of 
France.  If  these  great  lights  cannot  agree,  it  would  be 
presumptuous  on  our  part  to  attempt  to  decide  the  matter. 
As  it  is  only  an  honor  affecting  not  the  man,  we  shall  leave 
the  question,  <lin  statu  quo",  to  be  fought  out  and  decided 
by  the  future  historical  sages. 

St.  Patrick  was  born  about  the  year  387,  of  a  noble 
and  illustrious  family.  His  father,  Calphurnius,  was  a 
deacon,  and  his  mother,  Conchessa,  was  a  near  relative, 
probably  a  sister  of  St.  Martin  of  Tours.  He  was  reared 
with  the  tenderest  care  by  fond  Christian  parents  and  sur- 
rounded with  all  the. sweets  and  delights  of  the  happiest 
of  children.  This  young  man  so  fondled  and  reared,  at  the 
age  of  sixteen — at  the  age  when  life  is  just  budding  with 
its  brightest  promises,  when  a  noble  son  is  the  darling 
hope  of  a  kind,  good,  ambitious  father,  and  the  object  of 
the  tenderest  love  and  solicitude  of  a  Christian  mother — at 
this  age  he  is  torn  suddenly  away  from  them ;  torn  away  from 
home  and  country  and  carried  into  a  barbarous  country  by 
pirates.  O  the  heartaches  such  a  separation  must  have 
caused  parents  and  child!  Worse!  far  worse  than  death! 
He  is  carried  away  by  Irish  pirates,  who  have  made  a  de- 
scent upon  the  coast  of  France  and  sold  as  a  slave  into 
their  country,  where  he  is  made  to  attend  flocks  of  sheep 
and  herds  of  cattle,  in  hunger  and  thirst  and  nakedness, 
amid  the  wintry  hail  and  frost,  on  the  mountains  and  in 
the  forests  of  Caledonia. 

Neither  the  blessed  Patrick  nor  his  parents  could  see 
the  designs  of  God  in  all  this.  He  was  called  into  the  wild- 
erness, like  John  of  old,  to  be  fitted  for  this  future  apostle- 
ship.  Here,  he  was  to  become  acquainted  with  the  country, 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people.  Here,  his  constitu- 
tion was  to  be  developed  along  hard  and  rugged  lines.  In 
this  exile,  God  would  wean  his  soul  from  the  world,  and 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK  285 

teach  him  the  secret  and  sweetness  of  prayer.  He  remained 
as  a  slave,  in  the  calling  of  a  shepherd,  for  upward  of  six 
years.  During  this  time,  he  was  growing  in  faith  and  love, 
in  sweetness  and  strength  of  soul.  And  we  are  told  that 
he  broke  off  his  sleep  several  times  during  the  night  to  arise, 
and  sing  the  praises  of  his  Master.  His  afflictions  were 
the  sources  of  heavenly  benedictions,  because  he  bore  his 
cross  with  patience,  resignation  and  holy  joy.  God,  in  His 
own  good  time,  admonishes  Patrick  in  a  dream  to  return 
to  his  country,  and  informs  him  that  a  ship  is  ready  to 
sail  thither.  Patrick  repairs  immediately  to  the  sea  coast 
but  cannot  obtain  passage.  Thus,  another  trial  and  cross 
the  Master  has  prepared  for  His  chosen  servant.  As  he 
is  returning  to  his  hut  in  prayer,  the  Pagan  sailors  beckon 
him  back  and  take  him  aboard.  I  pass  over  the  journey  home- 
ward, although  we  are  told  that  through  the  intercession 
of  Patrick,  the  crew,  when  wandering  through  the  deserts 
of  Scotland  for  seven  days,  without  any  provisions,  came 
miraculously  on  a  herd  of  swine ;  and  also,  that  St.  Patrick, 
through  the  invocation  of  Elias,  was  saved  from  being 
crushed  to  death  by  a  huge  rock  which  fell  upon  him. 

It  requires  no  flight  of  the  imagination  to  picture  the 
scene  in  the  home  of  Calphurnius  and  Conchessa,  when  he, 
who  had  been  lost,  returns,  when  he  who  had  been  dead, 
comes  back  to  life.  What  scenes  of  affection  and  joy !  How 
father  and  son  embrace,  and  how  the  mother,  with  the  pur- 
est kisses  and  endearments,  clasps  her  boy  to  her  boson 
and  holds  him  in  a  loving,  sweet  embrace!  He  is  disrobed 
of  his  shepherd  clothes,  a  scarlet  gown  is  put  on  him,  and 
a  ring  is  placed  upon  his  finger,  the  fatted  calf  is  killed, 
and  the  relatives  and  neighbors  and  friends  are  invited  to 
make  merry,  for  he  who  was  lost  is  found,  and  he  who  was 
dead  is  come  back  to  life.  Will  not  Patrick  remain  ?  Surely 
he  will  not  expose  himself  to  the  risk  of  losing  all  these 
home  joys.  God  has  other  designs  on  Patrick.  Whilst 
here  with  his  parents,  in  the  midst  of  endearing  sights  and 
sounds  of  childhood,  God  calls  him — God  manifests  to  him 
his  future  work  and  vocation.  Whilst  at  home,  we  are  told, 
in  a  dream  he  thought  he  saw  all  the  children  of  Ireland 


286  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 

from  their  mothers'  wombs  stretching  out  their  hands  and 
piteously  crying  to  him  for  relief.  "It  was  the  voice  of  the 
Irish,"  says  he  in  his  confession,  "and  I  was  greatly  af- 
fected in  my  heart." 

Like  Abraham  he  arose,  like  thousands  of  God's  priests 
after  him,  he  arose,  leaves  father  and  mother,  home,  kind- 
red, friends  and  country,  and  sets  out  for  Tours,  there  to 
be  educated  in  the  school  of  his  uncle,  St.  Martin.  Here 
he  passes  four  years,  laying  up  stores  of  sacred  knowledge, 
and  sinking  deep  and  broad  the  foundation  of  virtue. 
Again,  he  visits  his  parents  and  then  journeys  to  St.  Ger- 
manus  of  Auxerre,  by  whose  advice  he  goes  to  the  famous 
school  on  the  island  of  Lerins  to  perfect  himself  more  in 
virtue  and  knowledge.  At  this  hallowed  retreat,  he  has  as 
companions,  St.  Hilary  of  Aries,  St.  Eucherius  of  Lyons, 
St.  Lupus  of  Troyes,  and  the  celebrated  Vincent  Lerins. 
On  the  recommendation  of  St.  Germanus  and  accompanied 
by  the  pious  priest,  Segetius,  who  was  to  attest  to  his  ex- 
cellence in  virtue,  Patrick  proceeded  to  Rome. 

Patrick's  baptismal  name  was  Succath;  at  his  ordina- 
tion it  was  changed  to  Magonius ;  and  now,  Pope  Celestine, 
to  honor  him,  conferred  on  him  a  new  name — "Patrocius", 
which  Cardinal  Moran  says,  an  ancient  gloss  explains  as, 
"Peter  Oivium",  the  "Father  of  his  Country." 

Patrick  received  his  commission  from  Rome;  from 
Rome,  thrice  holy  Rome,  the  See  of  Peter,  the  See  of  the 
the  Vicar  of  Christ,  the  foundation  stone,  the  rock  upon 
which  all  heresies  have  split,  the  centre  of  Unity,  the  source 
of  jurisdiction,  the  heart  from  whence  flows  to  all  the 
nations  and  countries  the  sound  doctrines  of  Christianity; 
from  Rome,  from  Pope  Celestine,  Patrick  received  the  com- 
mission to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  Irish  people.  With  the 
Pope's  benediction  on  his  head,  he  sets  out  for  his  distant 
mission.  On  the  way  he  is  joined  by  Auxillius  Isserimus 
and  a  few  others.  Patrick  continues  his  journey  to  Ireland, 
there,  to  begin  the  arduous  task  of  the  nation's  conversion. 

Christianity  had  been  in  the  world  nigh  four  hundred 
years  before  its  light  penetrated  fair  Ireland.  The  coun- 
tries which  border  on  the  Mediterranean  Sea  had  received 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK  287 

the  sacred  fire  from  the  very  lips  of  the  Apostles.  Spain, 
France,  Germany  and  Britain  had  at  least  heard  the  sav- 
ing truths  of  the  Gospel.  The  Roman  Empire  has  at  last 
succumbed;  Christianity  has  triumphed  over  brute  force; 
Paganism  has  received  a  mortal  wound  in  the  home  of  the 
Caesars;  Constantine  is  converted  by  the  miraculous  cross 
in  the  heavens.  The  Emerald  Isle  was  the  first  country  in 
the  west,  outside  the  Roman  Empire,  converted  to  Chris- 
tianity. Patrick  landed  on  its  shores  about  the  year  432. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  even  before  the  time  of  St. 
Patrick  there  had  been  a  few  Christians  in  Ireland.  Nor 
is  this  difficult  of  explanation,  when  we  remember  that 
there  was  active  commercial  intercourse  kept  up  between 
Ireland  and  Gaul,  and  that  it  was  not  unusual  for  the 
Irish  in  those  days,  to  make  piratical  descents  upon  the 
coast  of  Gaul  and  carry  off,  as  their  prey,  Christian  inhab- 
itants. There  were  Christians  in  Ireland  even  before  the 
arrival  of  Palladius.  But  that  their  number  was  small  we 
must  conclude  from  the  testimony  of  the  great  apostle 
himself: — "The  Irish,  who  till  this,  had  not  the  knowledge 
of  God,  and  worshipped  idols  and  unclean  things,  how  they 
are  become  the  people  of  the  Lord  and  are  called  the  sons 
of  God.  The  sons  of  Ireland  and  the  daughters  of  its  chief- 
tains, now  appear  as  monks  and  virgins  of  Christ." 

The  inhabitants  of  Ireland  worshipped  the  sun  and 
stars  and  adored  the  fountains  of  the  deep.  The  hills  and 
mountains  were  the  sanctuaries  of  their  gods  and  there  they 
held  their  religious  services.  ''Paganism",  as  Cardinal  Mo- 
ran  says,  "seems  to  have  impregnably  entrenched  itself  in 
this  fair  land.  Druidism,  which  had  been  banished  by  Au- 
gustus from  the  Roman  Empire  had  concentrated  all  its 
strength  in  Ireland,  now  destined  to  be  its  chief  sanctuary 
and  citadel."  We  are  told  that  St.  Patrick's  first  convert 
was  a  chieftain  by  the  name  of  Dicho,  who  to  show  his 
sincerity,  built  a  Church  at  Down.  Thence  our  Saint  pro- 
ceeded to  Tara.  What  a  memorable  day  Easter  is  in  the 
history  of  Ireland !  It  was  forbidden  by  the  law  of  the 
land  to  light  a  fire  on  Easter  Saturday,  until  the  flame 
should  first  appear  on  the  Hill  of  Tara,  which  was  kindled  in 


288  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 

honor  of  Baal,  the  sun  god.  Patrick  disregarded  the  law 
and  lighted  the  Paschal  fire  on  Easter  Saturday  in  front  of 
Tara's  royal  mansion.  King  Laeghaire  seeing  it,  was  indig- 
nant and  came  out  with  his  druids  to  investigate.  His  Pa- 
gan priests  in  prophetical  words  said  to  him: — "O  King! 
Unless  that  fire  is  extinguished  at  once,  its  light  shall  never 
cease  to  shine  brightly  in  Ireland."  A  meeting  is  arranged 
between  Patrick  and  the  Druids.  We  can  picture  with 
what  earnestness,  eloquence  and  simplicity,  St.  Patrick,  ex- 
plained the  faith.  Dubtach,  the  chief  poet  and  Druid  and 
Conall  Creevan,  a  brother  of  the  King,  are  converted.  You 
are  all  familiar  with  the  wonderful  success  of  St.  Patrick's 
preaching.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  soon  the  number  of 
converts  reached  ten  thousand.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  at 
Connaught,  St.  Patrick  baptized  one  hundred  and  twenty 
thousand,  including  seven  princes.  These  are  facts  of  his- 
tory. The  journey  of  St.  Patrick  through  the  island  re- 
sembled more  the  march  of  a  triumphant  king  than  the 
difficult  labors  of  an  Apostle.  His  extraordinary  success 
is  without  parallel  in  history.  In  the  course  of  fifty  years, 
he  converted  the  whole  nation.  Kings  and  princes,  men 
and  women  are  won  over  to  the  Gospel  without  the  shed- 
ding of  a  drop  of  blood.  Priests  are  ordained,  sees  are 
founded,  bishops  are  consecrated,  churches  are  built,  mon- 
asteries are  erected,  and  nunneries  are  established.  The 
green  hills  of  Ireland  and  its  remotest  valleys  become  nur- 
series of  piety  and  learning.  Ireland  is  transformed; 
heaven  is  let  down  to  earth;  and  she  is  saluted  as  the  "Isle 
of  Saints"; — "Even  as  the  heavens  are  studded  with  stars 
so  is  Ireland  adorned  by  countless  Saints,"  cries  out  Aid- 
helm  from  the  sister  isle. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  the  man  who  could  accom- 
plish so  much  for  God,  whose  labors  bore  such  spiritual 
fruit,  the  like  of  which  had  never  been  known  before,  nor 
since,  must  have  been  a  wonderfully  holy  man,  must  have 
been  the  holiest  among  the  holy.  Although  all  the  saints 
have  practiced  some  virtues  in  an  heroic  degree,  still,  some 
have  been  distinguished  above  others  for  special  virtues. 
Now  the  predominant  virtues  of  St.  Patrick,  the  ones  that 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK  289 

stand  out  in  bold  relief  were  humility,  the  spirit  of  prayer, 
penance  and  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  St.  Patrick 
was  the  humblest  of  men.  In  a  public  letter  on  the  occas- 
ion of  the  scandalous  conduct  of  a  certain  Christian  prince 
of  Wales,  Corotick,  who  profaned  the  Sacraments  and  mas- 
sacred Irish  Christians,  St.  Patrick  calls  himself  a  sinner 
and  an  ignorant  man.  In  his  "Book  of  Confessions",  he 
makes  known  his  faults  with  a  sincere  humility.  Yes,  a 
truly  humble  man  sees  nothing  in  himself  but  poverty, 
misery  and  weakness.  St.  Patrick  realized,  as  none  but  the 
humble  can,  the  infinite  majesty  and  sanctity  of  God.  He 
realized  that  every  grand  and  perfect  gift  comes  from  the 
Father  of  Light.  He  realized  that  of  ourselves  we  can  do 
nothing,  that  we  may  plant  and  plant,  but  only  God  giveth 
the  increase.  From  his  humility  sprang  his  spirit  of  prayer 
and  penance.  He  judged  and  measured  himself  by  the  in- 
finite sanctity  of  God.  We  are  told  that  he  spent  part 
of  his  nights  in  prayer.  And  when  Lent  came,  he  suspended 
his  labor  and  went  up  into  the  desert  like  his  divine  Master, 
He  went  up  the  steep  rugged  side  of  Croagh  Patrick,  and 
there  fasted  and  prayed  and  watered  his  couch  with  his 
tears.  Although  St.  Patrick  had  always  been  a  pure  and 
holy  youth,  yet,  for  some  slight  indiscretion  of  youth  he 
wept  continually.  "My  sin",  says  he,  "is  always  before 
me."  What  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls!  Patrick  had 
meditated  deeply  on  the  Passion  of  Christ.  He  saw  there 
the  burning  love  of  Christ  for  souls.  He  realized  that  one 
drop  of  that  blood  was  sufficient  to  ransom  a  thousand 
worlds.  And  yet,  Christ  to  show  his  love  for  sinners  and 
His  desire  for  their  salvation,  underwent  the  most  cruel 
scourging  in  the  court  yard  until  He  stood  almost  ankle 
.deep  in  His  own  blood!  How  to  manifest  this  love  and  de- 
sire more,  he  allowed  them  to  crown  His  head  with  thorns 
and  to  drive  them  down  into  His  sacred  brow !  How  to  man- 
ifest this  love  and  desire  still  more  and  more,  he  permitted 
them  to  drag  Him  across  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  up  the 
high  road  to  Calvary  and  goad  Him  on  like  a  beast  of 
burden !  And  how,  on  the  heights  of  Calvary,  to  consum- 
mate this  love  and  desire.  He  allowed  them  to  nail  Him 


290  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 

to  the  cross,  suspend  Him  aloft  for  three  hours,  all  bruised 
and  mangled,  there  to  die  between  two  criminals,  amidst 
the  scoffs  and  jeers  of  the  rabble!  Patrick  had  imbibed 
from  the  meditation  on  the  Passion  some  of  this  love  for 
souls.  Hence  we  find  him  until  his  death  (which  occurred 
at  the  advanced  age  of  105),  journeying  through  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  land,  visiting  the  plants  which  he  had 
planted  and  nourished  them  with  his  counsel,  his  tears, 
his  prayers  and  his  blessings. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends,  we  may  now 
ask  the  question :  "What  faith  did  St.  Patrick  teach  the  Irish 
people?"  That  he  taught  any  doctrines  other  than  those  of 
the  Catholic  Church  should  provoke  a  smile  on  the  part 
of  any  one  versed  in  the  rudiments  of  theology  and  eccle- 
siastical history.  Prom  history  we  know  for  certain  that 
St.  Patrick  taught  the  early  Irish  Church  the  Supremacy 
of  the  Pope,  the  Real  Presence,  Auricular  Confession,  De- 
votion to  the  Mother  of  God,  Prayers  for  the  Dead  and 
Celibacy  of  the  Clergy.  And  these  doctrines  are  distinctly 
those  of  the  Catholic  Church.  It  is  not  my  intention  to 
become  controversial,  so  I  shall  offer  just  a  small  part  of 
the  testimony  that  could  be  adduced  in  support  of  the 
above  assertions.  As  regards  the  Supremacy  of  the  Pope, 
listen  to  St.  Patrick  himself: — "The  Church  of  the  Irish  is 
a  Church  of  Romans;  as  you  are  the  children  of  Christ  so 
be  you  children  of  Rome."  As  regards  the  Blessed  Euchar- 
ist, in  the  Howe  Missal,  which  has  come  down  to  us  from 
the  Sixth  Century,  we  find  the  words  of  the  Consecration 
at  Mass,  to  be  the  same  substantially  as  those  found  in  the 
Roman  Missal  of  today.  As  regards  Auricular  Confession, 
the  learned  antiquarian,  Archbishop  Usher  of  the  Anglican 
Church  thus  speaks :  "The  Irish  did  no  doubt,  both  publicly 
and  privately,  make  confession  of  their  faults,  as  well  that 
they  might  receive  counsel  and  direction  as  that  they  might 
be  made  partakers  of  the  keys."  That  the  early  Irish  Church 
had  the  tenderest  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  we  know 
from  an  ancient  Missal,  in  which  there  are  Masses  for  her 
general  feasts  and  also  from  a  Litany  which  was  composed 
no  later  than  the  middle  of  the  VIII  Century,  in  which  she 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK  291 

is  invoked  under  the  sweetest  and  tenderest  names.  The 
early  Irish  Church  prayed  for  the  souls  of  the  dead,  for 
in  the  Bobbio  Missal  which  is  certainly  as  old  as  the  VI 
Century,  we  find  supplications  for  the  dead  through  the 
merits  of  the  Mass: — "Grant  O  Lord,  to  Thy  deceased  ser- 
vants, the  pardon  of  their  sins  in  that  secure  receptacle 
where  there  is  no  opportunity  of  doing  penance  *  *  *.  Mer- 
cifully grant  that  this  sacred  oblation  may  procure  pardon 
for  the  dead."  And  lastly  as  regards  Celibacy  of  the 
Clergy,  it  is  certain  that  the  early  Irish  Church  practiced 
it,  from  the  many  cononical  punishments  inflicted  upon  those 
priests  who  violated  it. 

My  Brethren  and  Friends,  let  us  consider  briefly  what 
Ireland  has  done  for  the  nations  of  Europe — what  part  she 
has  played  in  their  civilization.  And  what  a  glorious  history 
the  disciples  of  St.  Patrick  have  until  the  Danish  Invas- 
ion! They  were  the  missionaries  and  school  men  of  West- 
ern Europe.  From  the  Sixth  to  the  Ninth  Century,  Ireland 
was  the  nursery  of  learning  and  sanctity.  To  her  shores 
flocked  thousands  of  pilgrims  seeking  wisdom  and  holiness. 
From  her  shores  went  forth  in  countless  numbers,  mission- 
aries to  carry  the  light  of  Civilization  and  Christianity  into 
other  lands.  Who  has  not  heard  of  the  celebrated  schools  of 
Armagh,  Clonard,  Lismore,  Bangor,  Clonfert,  Cashel  and  Clo- 
macnois!  We  are  told  that  the  College  of  Bangor  had  en- 
rolled at  one  time  over  three  thousand  students,  and  Armagh 
had  enrolled  twice  as  many.  These  noble  institutions  were 
open  to  all.  The  poor  as  well  as  the  rich  had  free  access. 
From  their  walls  came  forth  philosophers,  architects,  paint- 
ers, musicians,  poets  and  historians.  What  nation  of  Europe 
has  not  received  much  of  its  Christianity  and  civilization 
from  Ireland  during  these  Centuries?  From  the  schools 
of  Ireland  went  forth  thousands  of  missionaries  and  schol- 
ars. They  left  their  homes  and  travelled  over  the  rocky 
coasts  of  the  Hebrides,  over  the  Highlands  of  Scotland; 
they  entered  Northumberland,  passed  into  Neustria  and 
Flanders;  they  crossed  over  into  England  and  went  down 
into  Spain;  they  penetrated  France,  and  last  but  not  least 
invaded  Germanv.  Need  I  mention  the  names  of  some  of 


292  '  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 

those  great  missionaries  who  carried  the  torch  of  learning 
in  one  hand  and  the  lamp  of  faith  in  the  other?  No  doubt  you 
have  heard  of  St.  Columbkille,  the  Apostle  of  the  Picts ;  of  St. 
Adrian,  the  Apostle  of  Northumbria;  of  St.  Fridfolen,  who 
after  long  labors  in  France,  established  himself  on  the 
banks  of  the  Rhine;  of  St.  Columbanus,  who  preached  in 
Burgundy,  Switzerland  and  Lombardy;  of  St.  Killean,  the 
Apostle  of  Franconia;  of  St.  Boniface,  the  celebrated 
Apostle  of  Germany,  and  his  co-laborer,  Vergillius. 

Among  the  famous  scholars  and  saints  who  studied  in 
the  schools  of  Ireland,  we  may  mention  St.  Egbert,  who 
wrote  the  history  of  the  first  Anglo-Saxon  mission  to  the 
Pagan  Continent;  of  Blessed  Willibrord,  who  resided  in 
Ireland  for  twelve  years;  of  Malduff,  who  founded  the 
school  in  England  which  afterwards  grew  in  the  famous 
Abbey  of  Malmesbury;  of  Aldhelm,  whom  Alfred  pro- 
nounced to  be  the  best  of  Anglo  Saxon  poets;  of  John 
Scotus  Erigena,  the  most  subtle  thinker  of  his  age;  of 
Caerulaus,  who  taught  the  Cathedral  school  of  Leige,  of 
Dicuin,  the  grammarian,  astronomer,  geographer,  who  was 
heard  on  every  part  of  the  Frankish  kingdom.  And  during 
these  Centuries  Irish  monks  founded  monasteries  in  all 
the  countries  of  Europe.  Yes,  with  the  learned  Irish 
scholar,  Dr.  Linch,  we  may  say,  "Ireland  was  therefore 
both  the  Athenaeum  of  learning  and  the  Temple  of  holi- 
ness, supplying  the  world  with  literati  and  heaven  with 
saints." 

Ireland  continued  in  undisturbed  peace  to  the  end  of 
the  Eighth  Century,  when  the  Danes,  those  Scandinavian 
invaders  visited  and  devastated  the  land.  Every  district 
was  invaded  and  religion  was  the  first  to  suffer.  The  rich 
booty  they  found  in  the  Cathedrals  and  Monasteries  in- 
duced those  rapacious  men  to  return  again  and  again. 
Armagh,  with  its  Cathedrals  and  Monasteries,  was  sacked 
four  times  in  one  month;  and  at  Bangor,  nine  hundred 
monks  were  slaughtered  in  a  single  day.  The  contest  lasted 
for  two  hundred  years  during  which  time  studies  on  a  uni- 
versal scale  were  interrupted  in  Ireland,  ecclesiastical  dis- 
cipline was  relaxed,  ignorance  spread  and  piety  decayed. 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK  293 

But  at  length,  under  the  leadership  of  Brian  Boru,  of 
Munster,  aided  by  Malachy  of  Meath  and  O'Kelly  of  Con- 
naught  on  the  plains  of  Clontarf  near  the  city  of  Dublin, 
the  death  blow  was  given  to  Danish  power.  Those  who 
were  not  driven  out  of  the  country  amalgamated  with  the 
Irish.  What  a  glorious  spectacle  now  presents  itself  to  the 
view  of  the  historian!  Immediately,  as  the  Danish  invad- 
ers withdrew,  almost  on  the  very  hoofs  of  their  steeds, 
Churches  and  Schools  and  Monasteries  arose  from  their 
smoldering  ruins  and  the  voice  of  instruction  again  re- 
sounded with  the  voice  of  prayer.  Ireland,  in  the  XI  Cen- 
tury, became  renowned  again  for  her  monastic  and  literary 
institutions,  and  students  from  foreign  climes,  as  of  yore, 
flocked  to  her  shores  in  search  of  learning  wisdom  and  holi- 
ness. 

I  cannot  give  the  history  of  the  loss  of  Ireland's  nation- 
ality and  the  subjection  of  the  country  to  the  dominion  of 
England,  for  it  would  take  too  long,  and  I  must  now  bring 
my  lecture  to  a  close.  But  let  me  tell  you  and  empha- 
size it,  that  the  Bull  in  which  Pope  Adrian  is  supposed 
to  have  given  King  Henry  permission  to  invade  Ireland  and 
subdue  the  Irish  is  a  gross  forgery.  Cardinal  Moran,  from 
the  latest  researches,  gives  nine  reasons,  any  one  of  which 
is  sufficient  of  itself,  to  prove  the  Bull  a  forgery.  If  Ire- 
land had  been  united  in  her  opposition  to  the  English  in- 
vader, if  traitors  like  McDermot,  King  of  Leinster  and 
weaklings  like  McCarthy  and  Donald  O'Brien,  King  of 
Thouma  had  not  existed,  Ireland  would  never  have  lost 
her  independence.  But,  notwithstanding  this,  the  rank 
and  file  fought  bravely,  gallantly  and  nobly  for  four  hun- 
dred years.  England,  at  last  by  her  powerful  and  impos- 
ing forces  conquered,  and  the  royalty  of  Ireland  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  dynasty  of  England. 

And  now  began  a  new  era  of  persecution.  Ireland  is 
sternly  commanded  to  give  up  her  faith.  But  Ireland's 
sons  and  daughters  answered,  no!  You  make  take  our 
lands,  our  homes,  yea,  our  lives,  but  we  will  cling  to  our 
faith!  You  have  wrested  our  crown  of  nationality,  but 
Ireland  will  unitp  in  the  defense  of  her  altars!  The  island 


294  SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 

of  doctors  and  saints,  now  becomes  the  land  of  heroes  and 
martyrs.  Again  are  witnessed  the  scenes  of  the  early 
Church,  when  Ignatius  and  Poly  carp,  Agnes  and  Agatha, 
Cecilia  and  Fabiola,  Lawrence  and  Sebastian  suffered  mar- 
tyrdom heroically.  The  three  hundred  years  of  suffering 
and  persecution  continued;  Ireland  is  deluged  with  her 
blood;  her  fairest  provinces  are  reduced  and  her  land  laid 
waste.  But  the  Celt  will  not  give  up  the  faith  of  St.  Pat- 
rick and  the  faith  of  Rome! 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Friends  in  Christ,  in  1821, 
George  the  Fourth,  visited  Ireland  and  tried  to  delude  the 
poor  oppressed  Catholics  with  marks  of  empty  civility. 
But  the  Irish  people  were  not  to  be  cajoled.  Daniel  O'Con- 
nell,  a  lawyer  of  great  ability,  arose  and  founded  the  Cath- 
olic Association,  which  embraced  within  its  circles  all  the 
friends  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Their  claims  were 
irresistible,  and  the  English  Parliament  was  forced  to  pass 
the  Act  of  Catholic  Emancipation.  Although  the  more  ob- 
noxious laws  were  repealed,  Catholics  were,  still,  excluded 
from  the  Throne,  from  the  offices  of  Lord-lieutenant  and 
Lord  Chancellor  of  England.  The  Repeal  Association  was 
founded  by  O'Connell.  The  despotic  government  deter- 
mined there  should  be  no  repeal.  A  persecution  is  com- 
menced against  O'Connell  and  his  associates.  In  the  midst 
political  contention,  gaunt  famine  stalks  abroad  in  the 
land.  The  alarm  is  sounded,  and  the  people  behold  the 
awful  spectre  of  starvation.  They  fled  from  the  land,  or 
died  whilst  their  lips  uttered  the  last  faint  cry  for  bread. 
Neither  the  geniusr  love  nor  eloquence  of  O'Connell  could 
save  his  people,  and  his  big,  sympathetic,  magnanimous, 
Christian  heart  broke.  He  journeyed  to  Rome,  the  holiest 
spot  on  earth,  to  pray  at  the  tomb  of  the  Apostles  and 
martyrs,  but  on  the  shores  of  the  blue  Mediterranean,  the 
cradle  of  Christianity,  the  weary  traveller  lay  down  to 
die.  And  his  last  words  were :  "I  bequeath  my  soul  to  God, 
my  body  to  Ireland  and  my  heart  to  Rome." 

O  Ireland!  the  land  of  St.  Patrick,  the  land  of  St. 
Columbanus,  the  land  of  St.  Bridget,  the  land  of  St.  Mai- 
achy,  I  salute  you  from  afar!  I  salute  your  lovely  lakes, 


SERMON  ON  ST.  PATRICK 


295 


your  soft,  luxurious  climate,  your  beautiful  hills  and  smil- 
ing plains !  I  salute  your  chaste  daughters  and  noble  sons ! 
I  salute  your  scholars  and  saints  who  were  the  light  and 
salt  of  the  earth  when  the  barbarian  hordes  were  inundat- 
ing Europe  and  plunging  the  nations  in  chaos  and  ruins! 
I  salute  your  thousands  of  heroes  and  martyrs  for  the 
faith !  I  salute  your  philosophers,  your  historians,  your 
poets,  your  statesmen  and  your  generals!  I  salute  your 
priesthood !  I  salute  them  all !  I  bow  down  and  say  that 
there  is  no  country  since  the  beginning  of  time  that  has 
had  a  more  sublime  and  pathetic  history!  And  I  vow 
that  if  ever  I  cross  the  deep  sea,  after  Rome  I  will  visit  Ire- 
land and  tread  lightly  and  reverently  her  sacred  soil !  I  vow 
that  I  will  make  a  pilgrimage  to  her  ruined  shrines  of  learn- 
ing and  sanctity,  and  there  in  an  humble,  suppliant  prayer 
with  a  heavy,  hopeful  heart,  pray  God  to  make  her  again 
a  free  happy,  prosperous  nation,  the  Island  of  Saints,  and 
the  land  of  scholars! 


THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE. 

SERMON  AT  THE  RECEPTION  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  HABIT,   ST. 
JOSEPH'S  CONVENT,  WHEELING,  W.  VA. 

Rt.  Rev.  Bishop,  Rev.  Fathers,  Dear  Sisters,  Beloved 
Subject  and  Brethren: — We  are  assembled,  today,  to  wit- 
ness the"  entrance  of  a  young  lady  into  the  religious  life. 
It  is  therefore  both  a  sad  and  a  joyful  occasion.  It  is  a 
sad  occasion,  if  we  view  it  simply  with  the  eyes  of  the  flesh, 
because  a  young  lady,  talented,  the  delight  of  her  friends, 
with  much  hope  and  promise  is  about  to  leave  the  world, 
turn  her  back  on  its  pleasures  and  comforts,  give  up  father 
and  mother,  sister  and  brother,  and  retire  into  a  convent, 
there  to  live  a  life  of  mortification  and  seclusion.  But  it 
is  a  joyful  occasion,  if  we  rise  above  the  flesh  and  view  it 
with  spiritual  eyes,  because  one  has  chosen  wisely,  has 
obeyed  the  call  from  on  high  and  has  fled  from  the  world 
with  its  deceits  and  allurements  to  consecrate  herself  to 
God  in  the  religious  state.  She  is  about  to  forsake  transi- 
tory happiness,  that  she  may  win  eternal  blessedness;  she 
gives  up  earth  that  she  may  possess  Heaven.  Whilst,  there- 
fore, some  of  her  near  and  dear  ones  may  feel  inclined  to 
weep,  giving  way  to  the  feelings  of  their  lower  nature,  they 
must  rise  superior  to  it,  and  rejoice  and  give  thanks  to  God, 
today,  that  He  has  so  favored  and  blessed  one  of  their 
own  flesh  and  blood.  May  it  not  be  appropriate  to  say  a 
few  words  this  morning  on  the  origin  and  object  of  the 
higher  life? 

The  way  of  the  counsels,  the  life  of  philosophy,  as 
Saints  Gregory  and  Bazil  are  wont  to  call  it,  is  as  old  as 
Christianity.  It  was  first  lived  by  Christ,  the  Way,  the 
Truth  and  the  Life.  The  Apostles  were  the  next  to  live  it: 
—"Behold,  Lord,  we  have  left  all  things  'and  have  followed 
Thee;  what  therefore  shall  be  our  reward?"  These  are  the 
words  of  St.  Peter,  the  Prince  of  the  Apostles,  and  show  us 
that  they  had  already  embraced  this  life,  and  were  following 
29fi 


THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE  297 

in  the  footsteps  of  the  Master.  Close  after  them  came  the 
Ascetics  of  the  First  Century,  who  took  upon  themselves 
voluntary  chastity  and  obedience,  and  lived  a  life  of  prayer 
and  mortification  although  they  did  not  entirely  separate 
themselves  from  the  world.  In  the  middle  of  the  Third  Cen- 
tury, the  persecution  of  Decius,  directed  against  the  Chris- 
tians drove  many  of  them  into  the  deserts  in  search  of  that 
freedom  in  the  divine  service  which  was  denied  them  by 
the  law  of  the  empire.  And  thus  originated  the  monks  and 
hermits,  men  aspiring  after  perfection  in  the  way  of  the 
counsels,  separated  from  the  world  and  living  alone  in  the 
desert  away  from  the  haunts  of  civilization.  St.  Anthony 
is  looked  upon  as  the  founder  of  monasticism,  although 
during  the  later  years  of  his  life,  he  allowed  a  number  of 
recluses  to  build  their  cells  around  him  and  at  stated  times 
to  come  to  him  for  advice  and  counsel.  This  was  the  first 
step  towards  the  cenobitic  or  community  life.  But  the  real 
founder  of  it  was  St.  Pachomius,  who  about  the  year  315 
built  several  monasteries  in  the  Thebaid,  which  were  soon 
filled  with  monks.  Along  with  the  monasteries  sprung  up 
nunneries.  At  first,  however,  the  virgins  lived  at  home  with 
their  parents.  And  St.  Jerome,  in  a  letter  to  Eustochium, 
gives  us  a  clear  and  exact  idea  of  their  mode  of  life.  Allow 
me  to  quote  a  few  of  the  admonitions  addressed  by  this 
great  man  to  the  high  born  and  noble  Eustochium  to  show 
you  that  they  were  following  the  counsels: — "I  would  have 
you  draw  from  your  monastic  vow  not  pride,  but  fear. 
You  walk  laden  with  gold;  you  must  keep  out  of  the  rob- 
bers' way."  "But  if  real  virgins,  when  they  have  other  fail- 
ings, are  not  saved  by  their  physical  virginity,  what  shall 
become  of  those  who  have  prostituted  the  members  of 
Christ  and  have  changed  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  into 
a  brothel;"  "  You  will  perhaps  tell  me  that  high  born  as 
you  are  and  reared  in  luxury  and  used  to  lie  softly  you 
cannot  do  without  wine  and  dainties  and  would  find  a 
stricter  rule  of  life  unendurable;"  "Let  your  companions 
be  women  pale  and  thin  with  fasting  and  approved  by  their 
years  and  conduct.  Be  subject  to  your  parents  imitating 
the  example  of  your  spouse;"  "Rarely  go  abroad,  and  if 


298  THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE 

you  wish  to  seek  the  aid  of  martyrs,  seek  it  in  your  own 
chamber;  avoid  men;  also,  when  you  see  them  loaded  with 
chains  and  wearing  their  hair  long  like  women  contrary  to 
the  Apostles'  precept,  not  to  speak  of  beards  like  those 
of  goats,  black  cloaks  and  bare  feet  braving  the  cold.  Do 
not  court  the  company  of  married  ladies,  or  visit  the  houses 
of  the  high  born.  Do  not  look  too  often  on  the  life  which 
you  despised  to  become  a  virgin ;  you  must  also  avoid  the  sin 
of  covetousness,  and  this  not  merely  by  refusing  to  seize  upon 
what  belongs  to  others,  for  that  is  punished  by  the  law  of 
the  state,  but  also  by  not  keeping  your  own  property,  which 
has  now  become  no  longer  yours."  St.  Athanaisus  is  the 
first  writer  to  mention  explicitly  a  convent.  He  tells  us 
that  St.  Anthony,  after  he  had  given  away  all  his  possess- 
ions, put  his  sister  into  a  convent  among  virgins,  and  vis- 
iting her  many  years  afterwards  found  her  living  a  chaste 
and  holy  life,  and  ruling  other  virgins  similarly  minded. 
The  next  mention  of  a  nunnery  is  the  one  founded  by  St. 
Syncletica,  about  the  end  of  the  Fourth  Century  in  Egypt. 
Nunneries  then  sprang  up  everywhere,  and  especially 
around  Kome.  St.  Augustine  founded  one  at  Hippo,  with 
his  own  sister  as  superior.  And  St.  Scholastica,  the  sister 
of  St.  Benedict,  founded  and  governed  a  nunnery  near 
Mount  Cassino,  under  the  direction  of  her  brother. 

The  religious  state  which  consists  in  the  profession  of 
the  three  Evangelical  Counsels  has  been  therefore  coeval 
with  Christianity.  It  is  a  permanent  and  essential  feature 
of  Catholicity.  The  particular  orders  or  institutions  into 
which  religious  have  enrolled  themselves  at  various  times 
for  corporate  action  are  on  the  other  hand  contingent  and 
transitory,  varying  with  the  needs  and  wants  of  the  age  and 
locality.  But  the  religious  state  lives  with  the  very  life 
of  the  Church  of  which  it  is  an  essential  manifestation.  Not 
upon  the  object  of  this  or  that  order  in  particular,  but 
upon  the  object  of  the  religious  life  in  general,  do  we  wish 
to  speak  briefly.  "If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the 
Commandments;  if  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  go,  sell  what  thou 
hast  and  give  to  the  poor  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in 
Heaven;  and  come  follow  Me;"  words  addressed  by  our 


THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE  299 

divine  Lord  to  the  young  man  who  wished .  to  know  what 
he  must  do  in  order  to  possess  eternal  life. 

When  Christ  came  into  this  world,  riches  and  wealth 
were  idolized  not  only  in  Judea,  but  among  all  the  nations. 
They  were  sought  and  loved  as  ends  in  themselves  and  not 
for  any  common  good.  The  same  has  been  true  down 
through  the  Centuries  and  is  doubly  true  at  the  present 
day.  Christ  knew  that  poverty  would  be  the  lot  of  many. 
He  knew  that  it  would  be  better  and  safer  for  the  majority 
of  men  to  have  less  than  more.  He  knew  that  it  would  be 
as  difficult  for  a  rich  man  to  save  his  soul  as  for  a  camel 
to  pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle.  He  knew  that  wealth 
and  the  love  of  it  would  be  a  most  fruitful  source  of  spirit- 
ual misery  and  ruin,  both  to  the  rich  and  the  poor.  He 
knew  how  it  would  make  the  rich  feel  independent  of  God, 
and  be  the  key  to  endless  pleasures  and  enjoyments,  which 
would  breed  sensuality  and  blind  the  understanding  to 
every  spiritual  conception  and  make  the  heart  cruel  and 
selfish.  He  knew  that  many  of  the  poor  in  fact  would  not 
be  poor  in  spirit,  and  among  them  would  be  found  that 
grasping  avarice  and  unsatiable  desire  of  accumulating.  It 
was  therefore,  needful  that  our  Saviour  by  embracing  pov- 
erty should  sanctify  it  and  make  it  more  honorable  and 
more  lovable  to  His  followers.  He  had  come,  too,  on  a  mis- 
sion of  reparation,  and  He  foresaw  the  ^torrents  of  iniquity 
that  would  flow  from  wealth,  and  He  therefore  willingly 
and  freely  embraced  poverty.  And  these  are  the  reasons 
which  the  Church  has  in  view,  if  I  understand  her  spirit 
correctly,  when  she  allows,  yea  exhorts  and  encourages  her 
chosen  ones  to  take  the  vow  of  poverty  and  to  seal  it  with 
a  contract  and  make  it  their  bride  as  Christ  made  it  His. 

"And  they  sung,  as  it  were  a  new  canticle  before  the 
throne,  and  before  the  four  living  creatures,  and  the  an- 
cients, and  no  man  could  say  the  canticle  but  those  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  thousand  who  were  purchased  from 
the  earth.  These  are  they  who  were  not  defiled  with  wo- 
men; for  they  are  virgins.  These  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
soever He  goeth.  These  were  purchased  from  among  men, 
the  first  fruits  of  God.  and  to  the  Lamb;"  words  taken 


300  THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE 

from  the  Apocalypse  and  which  describe  the  high  calling 
and  the  reward  of  the  virgins.  Sensual  license  or  impurity 
has  been  and  is  one  of  the  greatest  vices  of  the  human 
race.  Where  other  vices  have  slain  and  are  slaying  their 
hundreds,  impurity,  under  its  various  forms  has  slain  and 
is  slaying  its  thousands.  Let  theoretical  moralists  talk  as 
they  will  about  other  vices,  impurity  has  been  and  is  the 
sin  of  the  human  race.  It  was  so  in  the  time  of  Christ.  And 
among  the  Greeks  and  Romans  it  took  on  a  religious  as- 
pect. Virgins  were  prostituted  in  the  temples  and  the  most 
obscene  rites  were  performed  there  in  honor  of  gods. 
Impurity  has  become  the  god  of  the  modern  world.  Mar- 
riage seems  to  be  no  antidote  for  it  nowadays.  This  dread- 
ful scourge  is  almost  as  prevalent  among  the  married  as 
among  the  single.  There  is  no  sin  which  saps  and  under- 
mines so  much  the  spiritual  life  as  the  demon  of  impurity. 
And  from  its  clutches  it  takes  almost  a  miracle  of  grace 
to  release  its  victims.  Christ  foresaw  all  this.  To  sanctify 
and  eyalt  virginity,  to  make  the  world  reverence  and  honor 
it,  to  atone  and  to  make  reparation  for  the  sins  of  the  flesh, 
to  set  up  an  ideal  even  for  those  wedded — to  strive  after 
conjugal  perfection, — and  to  be  an  example  and  a  model  to 
His  chosen  ones  a:nd  those  striving  after  the  higher  life, 
Christ  came  as  a  virgin ;  chose  a  virgin  as  His  mother ;  His 
foster-father,  a  virgin;  His  precursor,  a  virgin;  the  friend 
of  His  bosom  a  virgin;  and  He  promises  that  His  heavenly 
bodyguard  shall  be  virgins — virgins  not  alone  in  mind,  but 
in  body.  Hence  in  all  ages  of  the  Church's  existence  vir- 
ginity has  been  considered  almost  essential  to  the  perfect 
life;  and  among  both  sexes  we  find  voluntary  celibates  who, 
by  vow,  have  wedded  themselves  to  the  conflict  for  life.  "And 
He  went  down  with  them  and  came  to  Nazareth,  and  was 
subject  to  them.  And  His  mother  kept  all  these  words  in 
her  heart;"  These  are  the  only  words  which  we  find  in 
the  gospel,  telling  us  anything  of  the  private  life  of  Jesus 
Christ.  He  went  down  to  Nazareth  and  was  subject  to 
Joseph  and  Mary. 

The  Gentile  world  which  Christ  came  to  heal  viewed 
obedience  and  subjection  almost  as  necessary  evils.     Un- 


THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE  301 

qualified  independence  and  self-government  began  also  to 
take  hold  of  the  chosen  people.  And  down  through  the 
Centuries  as  social  and  political  liberty  grew,  obedience  and 
subjection  were  considered  less  and  less  necessary  until  to- 
day with  the  advent  of  democracy,  superiors  are  almdst 
looked  upon  as  tyrants  and  subjects  as  slaves.  And  yet 
there  can  be  no  progress  or  happiness  in  the  home,  State 
or  Church  without  order,  harmony  and  subjection,  which 
implies  obedience.  Each  member  of  a  corporate  body  is 
healthier  and  more  useful  in  its  own  place.  Independence 
and  separation  mean  stagnation  and  death — death  to  the 
intellect,  and  death  to  the  heart,  and  affections  of  man.  And 
in  no  corporate  body  is  obedience  so  necessary  as  in  the 
religious  communities  where  men  and  women  are  striving 
after  perfection  under  a  common  rule  of  life. 

The  will  of  man  is  the  seat  of  sin,  for  sin  is  the  will 
rebelling  against  the  law  and  authority  of  God;  "We  will 
not  serve."  Obedience  is  the  antidote  for  rebellion.  Obe- 
dience is  the  restraint  and  pressing  into  higher  service, 
the  self-assertive  instincts  of  man.  And  therefore  Christ  not 
only  taught  the  necessity  of  obedience  by  word  of  mouth, 
but  practiced  it.  For  thirty  years  He  was  subject  to  Joseph 
and  Mary  to  give  the  world  an  example,  to  lighten  the  lot 
of  the*  many,  to  impress  upon  all  future  ages  the  expediency 
and  necessity  of  obedience.  In  the  same  spirit  and  for  the 
same  motives  the  religious  of  every  age  have  vowed  them- 
selves to  a  life  of  obedience.  They  present  to  the  world  an 
object  lesson  in  the  most  difficult  and  necessary  virtue- 
necessary  not  only  for  the  healing  of  the  individual  but  for 
the  nations. 

Beloved  subject  in  Christ,  go  on  bravely,  placing  all 
your  confidence  in  Him,  Who  has  called  you,  Who  has  led 
you  thus  far,  and  Who  will  perfect  in  you  the  work 
begun.  May  you  realize  the  fondest  hopes  of  your  super- 
iors. Allow  me  to  exhort  you  at  the  threshold  of  the  relig- 
ious life  to  be  ever  mindful  that  it  is  not  the  habit  that 
makes  the  nun,  nor  the  taking  of  the  vows,  and  the  living 
in  a  convent  the  true  sister.  The  habit  is  but  the  sign  and 
reminder,  the  convent  the  retreat  and  safeguard,  and  the 


302  THE  RELIGIOUS  LIFE 

vows  the  means  and  instruments  of  perfection.  Keep  a 
watch  over  the  windows  of  your  soul,  be  docile  and  obedient 
in  spirit,  and  cultivate  a  perfect  detachment  from  the  goods 
of  this  life.  In  trials  and  difficulties  go  to  Him  Who  is  to 
be  your  future  spouse,  and  let  devotion  to  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  be  your  very  life.  Cultivate  a  most 
tender  devotion  to  the  Mother  of  God,  to  her  who  is  the 
true  model  of  a  perfect  religious.  Place  yourself  under  the 
protection  of  St.  Joseph,  the  patron  of  your  order,  and  try 
to  imitate  his  humility  and  meekness.  May  St.  Thecla 
whose  name  you  will  bear  in  religion  be  an  inspiration  to 
you.  She  who  gave  up  so  much  that  she  might  have  inno- 
cently enjoyed,  who  forsook  philosophy,  literature  and  the 
polite  arts  in  which  she  excelled,  that  she  might  walk  more 
perfectly  in  the  footsteps  of  Christ;  who  left  a  cultured 
home  and  spurned  the  hand  of  a  noble  suitor,  and  finally 
shed  her  blood  rather  than  forsake  the  higher  life; — may 
she  watch  over  you.  As  grace  ripens  in  your  soul  and  bears 
mature  fruit,  may  you  begin  here  the  life  of  contemplation 
and  praise, — the  life  which  the  just  made  perfect  live  in 
Heaven ;  and  at  times  may  you  gaze  in  loving  wonder  on  the 
features  of  Divine  Truth: — "Mary  hath  chosen  the  better 
part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." 


SERMON  ON  THE  MASS 
PREACHED  IN  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,,  HUNTINGTON,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — I  am  going  to  try  to  explain  to 
you  what  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is;  what  that  act 
is  to  which  Holy  Mother  the  Church  attaches  so  much 
importance;  what  that  is  to  which  all  the  devotions  of  the 
Church  lead  up  and  around  which  they  revolve. 

However,  since  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  an  infinite 
act,  no  finite  mind  can  comprehend  it  fully;  consequently 
no  man,  much  less  I,  can  adequately  explain  it.  But  with 
the  Church  as  my  teacher  and  with  the  assistance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  I  hope  to  be  able  to  convey  such  knowledge 
of  it,  as  is  necessary  and  useful  for  you  to  know. 

The  English  word  "Mass",  corresponds  to  the  Latin 
word  "Missa",  of  which,  as  regards  its  etymology,  we  know 
nothing  with  any  degree  of  certainty.  Some  theologians 
derive  the  word  from  the  Hebrew  word  "Missach",  which 
means  a  free  offering;  others  derive  it  from  the  Latin 
"Missio"  or  "Dismissio",  because  in  ancient  times  there 
was  a  two-fold  dismissal,  one  for  the  catechumens  who  were 
sent  forth  before  the  Offertory,  and  the  other  for  the  faith- 
ful who  were  dismissed  by  the  deacon  after  the  Mass  was 
finished  in  the  same  words  as  are  now  used,  "Ite  Missa  Est", 
"Go  forth,  the  Mass  is  ended;"  and  finally  a  third  class  of 
theologians  with  St.  Thomas  as  their  leader  derive  it  from 
"Dimittet",  because  in  the  Mass,  Christ  is  sent  to  us  as  a 
victim  through  the  ministration  of  the  angels,  and  our  pray- 
ers are  wafted  to  Heaven  through  the  ministration  of  the 
priest.  Any  one  of  the  three  opinions  gives  us  a  most  reason- 
able explanation  of  the  word. 

But  what  is  the  Mass  in  reality?  That  is  the  question. 
In  answer  to  it  we  shall  give  the  definition  laid  down  by 
theologians.  It  is  defined  by  them  as  the  "Sacrifice  of  th? 
New  Law. in  which  Christ  is  offered  up  and  immolated  in 
an  unbloody  manner  under  the  species  of  bread  and  wine 

303 


304  SERMON  ON  THE  MASS 

by  a  minister  of  the  Church,  to  acknowledge  the  supreme 
dominion  of  God  and  to  apply  to  us  the  satisfactions  and 
merits  of  the  Passion  of  Christ."  It  is  called  the  ''Sacrifice 
of  the  New  Law"  to  distinguish  it  from  the  sacrifices  of  the 
Old  Law  which  were  only  figurative,  while  the  Sacrifice  of 
the  Mass  is  the  reality  of  those  figures.  It  is  said  "In  which 
Christ  is  offered  up  and  immolated  in  an  unbloody  man- 
ner;" first  to  indicate  the  victim  and  the  principal  priest, 
who  are  no  other  than  the  same  Jesus  Christ,  and  secondly, 
to  teach  us  that  although  Christ  offers  and  immolates  Him- 
self, it  is  done  in  an  unbloody  manner  in  contradistinction 
to  the  Cross  where  he  offered  and  immolated  Himself  in  a 
bloody  manner.  The  words:  "Under  the  species  of  bread 
and  wine"  are  used  to  show  further  and  clearer  the  manner 
of  the  immolation.  In  the  Mass,  Christ  is  not  immolated  in 
a  visible  and  bloody  manner,  but  in  an  invisible  and  un- 
bloody manner,  which  is  made  visible,  and  represented  by 
the  separate  consecration  of  the  bread  and  wine.  It  is  said; 
"He  is  offered  up  by  a  minister  of  the  Church,"  that  is  by 
a  priest  who  has  been  lawfully  ordained  and  who  acts  as  a 
secondary  minister,  Christ  remaining  the  principal  one;  and 
moreover  uof  the  Church"  for  such  a  sacrifice  is  offered  up 
first,  for  the  Church  militant  on  earth;  secondly,  for  the 
Church  suffering  in  Purgatory;  and  thirdly,  in  honor  of  the 
saints  in  Heaven,  who  constitute  the  Church  triumphant. 

And  finally  the  words;  "To  acknowledge  the  supreme 
dominion  of  God  and  to  apply  to  us  the  satisfaction  and 
merits  of  Christ's  Passion",  are  used  to  teach  first,  the  pri- 
mary end  of  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  which  is  the  glory  of 
God,  and  secondly,  the  secondary  end  which  is  the  applica- 
tion of  the  fruits  of  the  Passion  to  every  individual  soul. 

My  Brethren,  without  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  God 
could  not  be  given  that  adoration  which  is  His  due,  and  man 
would  be  deprived  of  the  fruits  of  the  Redemption;  yea, 
without  it,  man  would  be  deprived  even  of  many  temporal 
favors  and  blessings. 

You  who  are  acquainted  ever  so  slightly  with  ancient 
history — with  the  history  of  the  Hindoos,  Chaldeans,  the 
Persians,  the  Egyptians,  the  Greeks  and  the  Romans — 


SERMON  ON  THE  MASS  305 

know  that  they  had  their  sacrifices;  that  is,  victims  were 
offered  up  and  immolated  to  their  deities  by  their  priests 
to  acknowledge  the  supreme  dominion  of  the  deities  over 
them  and  their  subjection  to  them.  And  when  we  come  to 
the  people  of  God,  those  who  had  His  primitive  revelation, 
we  find  the  same  to  be  a  fact.  We  know  that  Abel,  Cain, 
Melchisedech  and  Noah  offered  sacrifices  to  God.  And 
coming  to  the  Old  Religion,  to  the  Old  Covenant,  under  a 
revelation  from  heaven,  through  the  voice  of  the  prophets, 
the  Jewish  people  had  their  various  sacrifices.  God  was  the 
author  of  them.  They  had  their  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving, 
their  sacrifices  of  atonement,  and  their  sacrifices  to  obtain 
peace.  This  we  learn  from  the  Old  Testament.  And  why 
was  this?  Because  by  the  offering  and  immolation  of  a 
victim  we  acknowledge  in  the  best  possible  manner  that 
God  is  supreme,  that  He  is  the  author  of  life  and  death, 
and  that  we  depend  entirely  upon  Him. 

Acts  speak  more  loudly  and  truly  than  words.  And 
thus  it  was  that  the  Pagan  nations  led  on  simply  by  reason, 
saw  the  necessity  of  sacrifices.  Thus  it  was  in  the  primitive 
revelation  that  they  had  their  sacrifices.  Thus  it  was  in 
the  Mosaic  religion  that  they  had  their  sacrifices.  And  thus 
it  should  be  in  the  Christian  religion,  which  is  the  culmina- 
tion and  perfection  of  all  the  religions.  In  fact,  all  the  sac- 
rifices of  the  Old  Law  had  their  value  from  the  great  Sac- 
rifice which  was  to  be  offered  up  in  the  New  Law. 
Malachias,  the  prophet,  speaking  in  the  name  of  Godr 
pointed  out  this  sacrifice  and  foretold  that  it  should  replace 
all  the  other  sacrifices;  "Who  is  there  among  you  that  will 
shut  the  doors? .and  will  kindle  the  fire  on  my  altar,  gratis? 
I  have  no  pleasure  in  you,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts;  and  I 
will  not  receive  a  gift  of  your  hand.  For  from  the  rising 
of  the  sun  even  to  the  going  down,  my  name  is  great  among 
the  Gentiles,  and  in  every  place  there  is  a  sacrifice,  and 
•there  is  offered  up  to  My  name  a  clean  oblation — for  My 
name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts." 
The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  thus  pointed  out  was  instituted 
by  Christ  at  the  Last  Supper,  on  the  eve  of  His  Passion 
when  taking  bread  into  His  omnipotent  hands  He  said: 
"This  is  My  body  which  is  given  for  you.  Do  this  in  com- 


306  SERMON  ON  THE  MASS 

memoration  of  Me."  And  likewise  of  the  wine  saying :  "This 
is  the  chalice  of  the  New  Testament  in  My  blood  which  shall 
be  shed  for  you."  From  that  day  until  the  present  time, 
the  bishops  and  priests  of  the  Catholic  Church  as  the  legit- 
imate successors  of  the  Apostles  to  whom  those  words 
were  addressed,  have  been  doing  what  Christ  did  at  the 
Last  Supper.  They  take  the  bread  into  their  hands  and 
say:  "For  this  is  My  body;"  then  afterwards  the  cup  of 
wine  saying:  "For  this  is  the  blood  of  the  New  Testament 
which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins."  This  is 
the  essence  of  the  Mass.  At  those  words  Christ  comes  upon 
our  altars ;  He  robs  Himself  of  His  glory  and  takes  up  His 
existence  under  the  appearances  of  bread  and  wine.  By  the 
separate  consecration  of  the  substance  of  the  bread  into  His 
body,  and  of  the  substance  of  the  wine  into  His  blood,  we 
have  the  mystical  shedding  of  His  blood.  At  the  end  of 
the  Mass,  Christ  under  the  sacramental  species  is  consumed 
by  the  priest.  Since  Christ  is  the  victim  and  the  principal 
priest  we  have  a  sacrifice  of  infinite  value.  This  leads  us 
to  speak  upon  the  effects  or  fruits  of  the  sacrifice  of  the 
Mass. 

The  first  effect  or  fruit  of  the  Mass  is  to  give  to  God 
infinite  adoration.  Man  of  himself  cannot  give  this  to  God. 
He  is  a  finite  being  and  his  knowledge  and  power  and  works 
are  finite  and  limited.  God  alone  can  comprehend  in  the 
fullest  sense  what  is  meant  by  the  Kingship  and  Lordship 
of  God.  In  other  words  only  the  infinite  can  comprehend 
fully  and  adequately  what  is  meant  by  the  supreme  domin- 
ion of  God  and  the  absolute  dependence  of  creatures  upon 
God.  But  in  the  Mass  God  comes  to  man's"  aid  and  devises 
a  way  by  which  he  can  assist  in  giving  infinite  adoration  to 
Him.  In  the  Mass,  Christ  who  is  the  Eternal  Son  of  God 
and  the  Likeness  of  His  substance,  offers  Himself  up  by  the 
hands  of  the  priest.  The  priest  and  the  faithful  unite  them- 
selves to  Jesus  Christ.  Their  offering  and  prayers  of  them- 
selves are  finite,  but  when  united  to  those  of  Jesus  Christ 
the  Great  High-priest  and  victim,  they  have  an  infinite 
value.  Hence  we  can  truly  say  that  one  Mass  gives  more 
praise  and  glory  to  God  than  the  whole  creation;  yea,  it 


SEUMON  ON  THE  MASS  307 

gives  more  praise  and  glory  to  God  than  the  unceasing  can- 
ticles of  the  myriads  of  angels  of  heaven;  of  the  united 
praises  of  the  Cherubim  and  Seraphim,  Thrones,  Domina- 
tions and  Powers.  Being  creatures,  their  praises  must  al- 
ways have  a  finite  value;  while  the  praises  given  at  the 
Mass  on  account  of  the  Victim  and  Principal  Priest,  who 
are  no  other  than  Jesus  Christ,  have  an  infinite  value. 
Consequently  in  the  Mass  infinite  adoration  is  offered  to 
God. 

The  second  fruit  of  the  Mass  is  infinite  thanksgiving. 
We  know  that  all  graces  and  blessings  come  from  God.  Life, 
health  and  happiness  flow  from  Him.  In  Him  we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being.  He  measures  out  with  no  un- 
stinted hand  His  natural  gifts.  He  makes  the  rain  to  fall, 
and  the  sun  to  shine,  and  the  flowers  to  bloom,  and  the  birds 
to  sing  for  our  pleasure.  And  when  we  consider  the  super- 
natural order  His  graces  and  blessings  are  immeasurable. 
We  know  that  He  sent  His  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world 
and  allowed  Him  to  suffer  and  die  for  us. 

In  the  Blessed  Eucharist,  He  gives  Himself  to  be  our 
spiritual  meat  and  drink.  He  is  visiting  us  almost  every 
moment  of  the  day  with  some  special  grace.  Our  end  is 
to  be  god-like,  to  see,  know  and  love  God  as  he  sees,  knows 
and  loves  Himself;  and  consequently,  eternal  bliss. 

Now  my  brethren,  man  is  bound  to  thank  God  for  all 
this.  Poor  and  feeble  and  far  from  adequate  must  be  the 
thanks,  even  of  the  greatest  saint  and  the  noblest  soul.  The 
thanks  of  the  whole  human  race  united,  from  the  dawn  of 
creation  to  the  end  of  time,  must  fall  short  of  what  is  owed 
to  God.  But  in  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  Jesus  Christ 
offers  to  His  Eternal  Father  infinite  thanksgiving.  And  we 
share  in  that  by  assisting  at  Mass  and  offering  up  our 
thanksgiving  with  the  thanksgiving  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  third  fruit  of  the  Mass  is  propitiation.  By  it  our 
sins  are  washed  away.  This  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures. 
Christ  in  instituting  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  said:  "This 
is  the  blood  of  the  New  Testament  which  is  shed  for  many 
unto  the  remission  of  sins."  And  St.  Paul  says :  "For  every 
high-priest  taken  from  among  men  is  ordained  for  men  in 


308  SERMON  ON  THE  MASS 

the  things  that  appertain  to  God,  that  he  may  offer  up  gifts 
and  sacrifices  for  sins." 

It  is  true  that  Christ  died  on  the  Cross  for  our  sins— 
for  the  sins  of  mankind  in  general.  But  it  is  through  the 
Mass,  which  is  the  same  in  substance  as  the  Cross  that  those 
merits  reach  individual  souls.  The  Mass  then  avails  for  the 
sins  of  the  living  and  the  dead.  Yea,  without  it,  the  merits 
of  the  Cross  would  profit  man  little.  The  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  is  the  main  aqueduct,  leading  from  Calvary's  reservoir, 
and  conducting  its  life  giving  waters  to  individual  souls. 
It  washes  away  both  the  guilt  and  pain  from  souls  on  earth, 
and  from  souls  in  Purgatory. 

The  fourth  and  last  fruit  of  the  Mass  is  one  of  Impetra- 
tion.  We  know  that  in  the  Old  Law  sacrifices  were  offered 
up  to  obtain  spiritual  and  temporal  favors.  Thus  we  read 
in  the  Book  of  Kings,  that  David  offered  sacrifice  to  turn 
away  the  plague  which  threatened  Jerusalem,  and  the  Lord 
through  it  became  merciful  to  the  land,  and  the  plague  was 
turned  away  from  Israel.  But  when  Jesus  Christ,  the  great 
High-priest  and  the  Victim  at  Mass  pleads  with  His  Eter- 
nal Father  for  new  favors,  and  graces,  and  blessings  for 
men,  who  will  dare  to  say  that  anything  will  be  denied 
Him?  No;  all  things  are  possible.  His  impetration  has 
an  infinite  value.  All  spiritual  goods  will  be  granted,  and 
all  temporal  goods  in  so  far  as  they  are  conducive  to  man's 
eternal  welfare. 

The  question  may  now  be  considered,  my  brethren,  with 
great  profit,  in  what  way  does  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  produce  the  'effects  spoken  of  above ! 

The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  produces  its  principal  effects 
by  the  power  and  in  virtue  of  the  merits  of  the  divine  Vic- 
tim and  Priest,  Jesus  Christ.  Behold  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God  in  this.  It  matters  not  whether  the  priest 
is  holy;  the  unworthiness  of  the  priest  does  not  prevent 
the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  from  accomplishing  its  ends. 
At  the  altar  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Great  High  Priest.  It  is 
He  who  offers  and  thanks,  supplicates  and  entreats.  We 
priests  are  but  the  secondary,  visible  ministers,  represent- 
ing Him. 


SERMON  ON  THE  MASS  309 

Although  this  is  true  as  regards  the  substance  and 
main  fruit  of  the  Mass,  still  it  is  also  true  that  the  good- 
ness and  fervor  of  the  secondary  priest  produces  some  special 
fruit.  In  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  besides  the  work,  which 
is  done  in  the  Person  of  Christ,  there  are  many  prayers 
which  are  said  in  the  name  of  the  Church.  These  prayers 
are  pleasing  to  God  and  their  power  of  impetration  will 
be  in  proportion  to  the  piety  and  devotion  of  the  priest  who 
utters  them.  But  even  from  the  point  of  the  priest,  since 
they  are  said  in  the  name  of  the  Church,  which  is  always 
pleasing  to  God  they  will  produce  some  effect;  they  will 
not  have  been  said  in  vain. 

The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  produces  the  remission  of 
sins  not  directly  by  the  very  fact  that  it  has  been  offered,  ^ 
but  indirectly  by  conferring  the  grace  necessary  to  make  an 
act  of  contrition  or  an  act  of  true  love.  The  same  must 
be  said  of  the  remission  of  venial  sins,  of  the  infus- 
ion of  sanctifying  grace,  and  its  increase  in  the  soul. 

The  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  directly  and  by  itself,  by  the 
very  fact  that  it  has  been  offered  independent  of  the  priest 
and  the  people,  obtains  and  produces,  first,  the  remission 
of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  our  sins;  and  secondly, 
actual  graces  and  temporal  goods  in  so  far  as  they  are 
conducive  to  salvation.  As  regards  the  remission  of  tem- 
poral punishment,  that  depends  upon  the  free  will  of  God, 
who  can  without  any  change  in  our  wills  remit  such  pun- 
ishment. And  this  He  does  both  for  us  and  the  poor  souls 
in  Purgatory  in  view  of  the  oblation  of  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  at  Mass,  which  He  accepts  as  satisfaction.  As  re- 
gards actual  graces  and  temporal  goods,  such  as  health, 
peace  of  soul  and  prosperity,  since  these  are  independent 
of  man's  will  and  come  from  the  hand  of  God,  through  the 
interceding  power  of  Jesus  Christ  at  Mass,  we  hold  that 
these  are  obtained  directly  and  immediately. 

My  Brethren,  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  produces  with- 
out fail,  some  of  the  effects  for  which  it  has  been  offered 
up,  whilst  for  others  it  does  not  always  produce  them 
owing  to  the  absence  of  certain  conditions.  We  lay  down 
two  general  principles;  First,  all  those  effects  which  the 


310  SERMON  ON  THE  MASS 

Mass  produces  immediately  and  which  suppose  no  coopera- 
tion on  the  part  of  man  are  always  infallibly  obtained. 
Hence,  actual  graces,  at  least  those  that  are  necessary,  are 
always  obtained  through  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  Sec- 
ondly, all  those  temporal  goods  that  are  necessary  or  useful 
to  us,  are  infallibly  obtained  through  the  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass.  And  thirdly,  the  remission  of  some  temporal  pun- 
ishment, but  not  all,  is  infallibly  obtained  through  the  Mass. 
St.  Thomas  says  that  in  the  living  the  measure  of  the  re- 
mission is  in  proportion  to  their  disposition  and  devotion. 
In  the  dead,  according  to  the  inscrutible  designs  of  God. 
The  second  principle  is  all  those  effects  which  the  Mass 
produces  mediately,  i.  e.,  those  effects  which  depend  upon 
man's  cooperation  are  not  infallibly  obtained;  their  failure 
comes  from  man  and  not  from  God.  These  effects  are  the 
remission  of  mortal  and  venial  sins,  and  the  increase  of 
sanctifying  grace.  Although  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  con- 
veys to  man  sufficient  grace  by  which  he  can  elicit  an  act 
of  sorrow,  and  an  act  of  love,  still  God  respects  man's  free 
will,  and  these  fruits  depend  upon  his  cooperation.  But 
let  it  be  clearly  understood  that  to  those  for  whom  the  Mass 
is  offered  up,  sufficient  grace  will  be  infallibly  given;  and 
if  they  cooperate  with  it,  by  virtue  and  power  of  the  Sacri- 
fice of  the  Mass,  they  will  receive  a  remission  of  their  mor- 
tal and  venial  sins,  and  an  increase  of  sanctifying  grace  in 
their  souls.  • 

Such,  my  brethren,  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  as 
taught  by  the  Catholic  Church  and  viewed  with  the  eyes 
of  faith.  Ah!  is  it  any  wonder  that  the  Church  attaches 
so  much  importance  to  it?  Is  it  not  the  consummation 
and  perfection  of  all  religious  acts?  Here  we  have  adora- 
tion, thanksgiving,  sin  cleansing  and  prayer  in  their  highest 
and  most  effectual  form.  It  is  the  act  of  acts!  It  is  the 
grandest  and  sublimest  thing  that  occurs  on  earth!  It  is 
more  awful  and  stupendous  than  creation  itself!  Is  it  any 
wonder  that  Catholics  led  on  by  instincts  of  faith  will  un- 
dergo the  greatest  inconvenience  to  assist  at  Mass?  It  is 
the  Mass  that  crowds  Catholic  Churches,  whilst  others  are 
only  partly  filled.  We  need  no  grand  music,  we  need  not 


SERMON  ON  THE  MASS  311 

eloquent  sermons, — the  Mass  is  all — sufficient.  It  is  the 
magnet  that  draws  millions  and  millions  of  souls  to  our 
Churches,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  to  the  going  down  there- 
of. We  may  see  now  why  Catholics  when  laboring  under 
heavy  burdens  or  severe  trials,  will  go  to  the  priest  to  have 
the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  offered  up;  why  the  mother 
with  tears  in  her  eyes  at  the  sins  of  her  erring  boy;  or  the 
wife  choked  with  grief  at  the  cold  neglect  of  her  husband; 
or  the  sister  broken  hearted  at  the  sight  of  a  promising 
brother  on  his  way  to  ruin,  will  go  to  the  priest  and 
say :  "Father  offer  up  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass !"  Yes, 
we  may  understand  why,  as  soon  as  death  visits  a  Catholic 
family  the  priest  will  be  the  first  one  sought  out  that  a 
Mass  may  be  offered  up  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of  the 
deceased.  The  devotion,  of  a  person  or  a  people  to  the  Holy 
Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  is  the  measure  and  test  of  their  Cath- 
olic faith.  And  hence  we  find  that  all  heretics  have  at- 
tacked the  Mass.  And  those  rulers  who  wished  to  rob  the 
Catholic  people  of  their  faith  have  begun  by  trying  to 
abolish  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  And  when  you  see  a 
Catholic  who  has  not  the  right  appreciation  of  the  Mass, 
and  will  scruple  not  at  missing  it — let  us  fear  for  the  faith 
and  salvation  of  that  person.  O!  the  Mass  whereat  Jesus 
Christ  leaves  the  bosom  of  His  Eternal  Father,  robs  Him- 
self of  His  glory,  takes  up  His  presence  on  the  altar,  and 
there  offers  Himself  up  in  adoration,  in  thanksgiving,  in 
propitiation,  in  impetration !  No  recollection  can  be  too 
deep,  no  reverence  too  great,  during  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of 
the  Mass!  With  hushed  voice,  uplifted  eyes,  bowed  heads 
and  clasped  hands,  does  faith  teach  us  that  we  should  assist 
at  the  tremendous  mysteries  of  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass! 


WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOB. 

SERMON  PREACHED  AT  THE  LAYING  OP  THE  CORNER  STONE  OF 
HOLY  REDEEMER  CHURCH,  PORTSMOUTH,  OHIO. 

Rt.  Rev.  Bishop,  Very  Rev.  and  Rev.  Fathers,  Beloved 
Brethren  and  Dear  Friends: — We  have  just  witnessed  the 
laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  Holy  Redeemer 
Church.  The  corner-stone  as  you  see  is  the  stone  which 
lies  at  the  corner  of  the  two  walls  and  unites  them.  Speci- 
fically it  is  the  stone  built  into  one  corner  of  the  foundation 
of  an  edifice,  as  its  actual  or  nominal  starting  point.  If 
the  state  lays  the  corner  stones  of  its  public  buildings  with 
pomp  and  ceremony,  should  not  the  Catholic  Church,  the 
great  spiritual  society,  lay  the  corner-stones  of  its  religious 
temples  with  pomp  and  ceremony?  And  that  is  why  we 
are  assembled  this  afternoon  on  the  Lord's  Day  to  lay  the 
corner-stone  of  another  Church  to  be  dedicated  to  the  Most 
High,  and  used  for  His  honor  and  glory. 

The  prayers,  responses  and  psalms  which  have  been 
said  and  chanted  in  that  stately,  polished,  universal  lang- 
uage of  the  Church,  during  this  ceremony,  are  most  instruc- 
tive, beautiful  and  impressive.  To  show  this,  I  shall  read 
in  English  the  translation  of  one  of  those  prayers,  and 
one  of  those  psalms.  The  first  psalm  chanted  was  Psalm 
83:  "How  lovely  are  Thy  tabernacles,  O,  Lord  of  Host!  My 
soul  longeth  and  fainteth  for  the  courts  of  the  Lord.  For 
the  sparrow  hath  found  her  a  house;  and  the  turtle  a  nest 
for  herself,  where  she  may  lay  her  young.  Even  Thy  altars, 
O,  Lord  of  Host;  my  King  and  my  God.  Blessed  are  they 
that  dwell  in  Thy  house,  O  Lord ;  they  shall  praise  Thee  for- 
ever and  ever.  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  help  is  from  Thee; 
in  his  heart  he  hath  disposed  to  ascend  by  steps,  in  the 
vale  of  tears,  in  the  place  that  he  hath  filled.  For  the  law- 
giver shall  give  a  blessing;  they  shall  go  from  virtue  to 
virtue;  the  God  of  Gods  shall  be  seen  in  Sion.  O  Lord  God 
of  hosts  hear  my  prayer;  give  ears  O  God  of  Jacob.  Behold 
O  God  of  Jacob.  Behold  O  God,  our  protector;  and  look 

312 


WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOR  313 

upon  the  face  of  Thine  anointed.  For  one  day  in  thy  courts 
is  better  than  a  thousand.  I  have  chosen  rather  to  be  an 
abject  in  the  house  of  my  God,  than  to  dwell  in  the  taber- 
nacles of  sinners.  For  God  loveth  mercy  and  truth ;  the 
Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory.  He  will  not  deprive  of 
good  things  them  that  walk  in  innocence;  0  Lord  of  hosts, 
blessed  is  the  man  that  hopeth  in  Thee."  That  Psalm,  as 
also  the  others,  were  selected  by  the  Church  on  account  of 
their  fitness  and  appropriateness  to  the  occasion. 

The  Bishop  standing  with  mitre,  in  his  official  capacity 
after  having  blessed  the  corner-stone,  said  this  significant 
prayer:  "O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Son  of  the  living  God,  who 
is  truly  God  omnipotent,  the  splendor  and  likeness  of  the 
eternal  Father  and  life  everlasting;  who  is  the  corner-stone 
hewn  out  of  the  mount  without  hands,  and  the  unchange- 
able foundation ;  give  endurability  to  this  stone  placed  here 
in  Thy  name,  and  Thou  who  art  the  beginning,  do  Thou 
we  beseech  Thee  be  the  beginning,  the  increase  and  comple- 
tion of  this  work  which  has  been  begun  for  the  praise  and 
glory  of  Thy  name;  who  with  the  Father  and  Holy  Spirit 
liveth  and  reigneth  God  throughout  all  the  ages  of  eternity. 
Amen !" 

The  corner-stone  is  as  I  have  said,  the  starting  point 
or  foundation  of  the  new  Church  of  the  Holy  Redeemer. 
In  the  course  of  a  few  months  we  are  to  have  here  completed 
a  house  of  the  living  God,  a  Christian  temple,  a  Catholic 
Church.  This  thought  naturally  carries  our  minds  back  to 
the  beginning— back  to  the  origin  of  the  Catholic  Churches, 
as  distinct  separate  places  of  worship,  and  their  essential 
form. 

Catholic  Churches,  in  the  sense  of  places  where  the 
divine  mysteries  are  celebrated,  are  as  old  as  Christianity 
itself.  This  we  learn  from  the  New  Testament.  But  at 
first  no  doubt  private  houses  were  used  for  this  purpose; 
for  St.  Paul  in  his  epistle  to  the  Collossians  wrote:  "Sa- 
lute the  brethren  who  are  at  Laodicea  and  Nymphas  and 
the  Church  that  is  in  his  house."  This  state  of  things  con- 
tinued even  after  the  apostolic  age ;  but  how  long  we  cannot 
determine;  but  we  do  know  for  certain  that  churches,  prop- 
erly so  called,  were  erected  as  early  as  the  beginning  of 


314  WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOR 

the  Third  Century.  Aelius  Lampridius  informs  us  in  his 
life  of  Alexander  Severus  that  this  Emperor  confirmed  the 
Christians  in  possession  of  a  certain  place  of  worship.  And 
Gregory  of  Nyssa  tells  us  that  Gregory  the  Wonder-worker, 
had  built  several  churches.  Furthermore,  from  the  edict  of 
Diocletian  in  the  year  302,  we  know,  that  there  were  Christ- 
tian  Churches  throughout  the  empire.  But  it  was  not  until 
peace  was  restored  to  the  Church  by  Constantine  the  Great, 
that  Christians  began  to  erect  Churches  on  a  magnificent 
scale.  Eusebius  has  left  us  in  his  writings,  a  description 
of  a  Church  built  at  Tyre,  about  the  year  302.  He  speaks 
of  its  great  walls,  of  its  portico  entering  into  the  atrium, 
of  its  fountain,  for  the  purification  of  the  worshippers,  of 
the  great  doors,  of  the  nave,  of  the  aisles,  with  the  galleries 
above  them,  of  the  thrones  for  the  clergy,  and  of  the  most 
holy  altar  surrounded  with  railings  of  exquisite  work. 

The  style  of  Church  architecture  has  been  different 
at  different  epochs,  but  the  material  churches  from  an 
ecclesiastical  standpoint  have  been  substantially  the  same. 
According  to  the  very  early  canons  we  find  that  the  Church 
was  built  in  an  oblong  form,  terminating  at  the  inner  end 
in  a  semi-circle  projection  called  an  apse.  In  this  apse  the 
altar  was  to  be  placed ;  behind  it  a  throne  for  the  bishop,  was 
to  be  erected;  and  around  the  bishop's  throne  in  a  semi- 
circle, were  to  be  constructed  seats  for  the  clergy.  The 
laity  were  to  take  their  places  during  the  divine  service 
in  the  nave  of  the  Church. 

Just  as  the  material  buildings  or  the  places  where  the 
Christians  assembled,  were  constructed  on  definite  lines, 
and  have  been  substantially  the  same  down  through  the 
ages;  so  also  was  the  Church  itself  built  on  definite  lines 
and  given  .an  essential  constitution  by  Christ,  and  has  re- 
mained, and  will  remain  substantially  the  same  until  the 
end  of  time.  In  fact  we  find  that  the  essential  sameness  of 
the  material  church,  or  of  the  place  of  worship  has  followed 
from  the  essential  sameness  of  the  constitution  of  the 
Church.  Let  us  consider  for  a  few  moments  this  part  of 
the  subject. 

What  is  the  Church  of  Christ,  or  the  Catholic  Church? 
It  may  be  defined  as  the  society  of  the  faithful  who  are 


WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOR  315 

baptized  and  united  to  each  other  by  the  profession  of  the 
same  faith,  by  participation  in  the  same  sacraments  and  in 
the  same  worship,  and  who  are  under  the  same  head  in 
Heaven,  Jesus  Christ,  and  under  one  head  on  earth,  the 
Pope  of  Rome,  His  Vicar. 

The  Church  is  made  up  of  two  parts,  the*  "ecclesia 
docens"  or  the  body  of  pastors,  who  teach  the  faith,  and  the 
"ecclesia  credens",  or  the  faithful,  who  are  taught  the  faith 
and  accept  it.  This  division  of  the  Church  into  the  clergy 
and  laity  is  fundamental,  and  consequently  has  existed 
from  the  beginning.  It  needs  no  proof  to  him  who  has  the 
slightest  knowledge  of  the  scriptures,  the  Fathers  and 
Ecclesiastical  history. 

The  "ecclesia  docens",  or  the  teaching  body  of  the 
Church,  is  composed  of  the  Pope,  the  Bishop  of  Rome;  of 
the  various  Bishops  throughout  Christendom  in  union  with 
Rome ;  and  all  the  inferior  clergy  or  priests,  subject  to  their 
bishops. 

The  Pope  is  the  head  of  the  Church  on  earth,  because 
he  is  the  successor  of  St.  Peter  to  whom  Christ  said :  "Thou 
art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  My  Church,  and 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it;  "I  will  give  to 
thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  and  whatsoever 
thou  shalt  bind  upon  earth  it  shall  be  bound  also  in 
Heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  upon  earth  it  shall 
be  loosed  also  in  Heaven;"  "Feed  my  lambs;  feed  my 
sheep."  The  Pope  is  the  centre  of  unity  and  the  source  of 
authority  and  jurisdiction  within  the  Church. 

The  Bishops  of  the  Catholic  Church  are  the  successors 
of  the  other  apostles,  and  rule  the  separate  portions  of 
Christ's  flock  which  have  been  committed  to  them.  They 
have  ordinary  jurisdiction,  and  though  this  is  in  virtue  of 
divine  authority,  still  it  is  in  union  with,  and  in  subordina- 
tion to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  the  Pope.  The  supremacy  of 
the  Bishop  of  Rome  and  the  unity  of  the  Church  demand 
this  subjection. 

And  thirdly,  come  the  priests,  or  the  inferior  clergy. 
They  are  subordinate  to  the  Bishops  and  represent  them; 
but  they  are  not  necessary  in  the  same  sense  as  the  Bishops 
upon  whom  Christ  conferred  ordinary  jurisdiction  and 


316  WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOR 

made  a  part  of  the  unalterable  constitution  of  the  Church. 
But  they  have  existed  from  the  days  of  the  Apostles,  and 
they  will  exist  until  the  end  of  time.  They  are  the  Bishops' 
coadjutors  and  represent  them  in  parts  where  they  cannot 
be.  They  share  in  the  priesthood  of  the  Bishop,  but  not 
in  its  fullness.  They  can  offer  sacrifice, — being  one  with 
the  great  high-priest  Christ, — forgive  sins  and  administer 
all  the  sacraments  except  Holy  Orders. 

And  now,  Eight  Rev.  Bishop,  Very  Rev.  and  Reverend 
Fathers,  Beloved  Brethren  and  Friends,  may  we  not  ask 
what  will  this  Church,  when  completed,  stand  for  in  this 
community?  What  will  be  its  mission  and  work?  What 
benefits  will  society  derive  from  it?  In  this  Church  shall 
be  preached  all  the  doctrines  of  Jesus  Christ — all  those 
truths  which  He  came  on  earth  to  teach,  and  of  which  the 
darkened  intellect  of  man  stand  so  much  in  need. 

Not  one,  not  a  few,  but  all  the  truths  of  revelation  shall 
be  preached  in  this  Church.  They  shall  not  be  taught  here 
in  a  truncated  form,  nor  in  a  half-hearted  way,  but  in  all 
their  fulness  and  with  all  their  force.  In  this  Church  there 
shall  not  be  preached  sensational  sermons — sermons  treat- 
ing on  all  the  latest  fads  and  all  the  doings  of  the  smart 
set.  In  this  Church  there  shall  not  be  taught  politics,  nor 
shall  sermons  be  preached  on  economical  questions,  except 
in  so  far  as  they  bear  upon  morals.  Jesus  Christ  sent  forth 
His  apostles  to  preach  the  gospel  and  to  teach  men  how 
to  save  their  souls,  and  how  to  get  to  heaven;  and  the  min- 
ister who  teaches  or  preaches  other  than  the  gospel  is  a 
hireling  and  not  a  true  shepherd. 

Here  shall  be  preached  and  upheld  those  grand  truths 
which  transformed  the  pagan  world.  Need  I  mention 
them?  First  comes  the  existence  of  a  Supreme,  Infinite 
Being,  who  created  this  world  by  His  power,  and  rules  it 
by  His  wisdom.  Secondly,  comes  the  truth  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul  and  a  life  beyond  the  grave.  And  thirdly, 
comes  the  truth  that  God  will  reward  or  punish  men  in 
the  next  world  according  to  their  merits  or  demerits.  These 
are  the  fundamental  truths  which  have  changed  the  world. 
At  the  coming  of  Christ  we  know  that  the  world  believed 
in  many  gods,  that  it  doubted  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 


WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOR  317 

and  a  future  life.  And  consequently  men  lived  for  this 
world  only  and  gave  full  vent  to  their  passions.  "Eat, 
drink  and  be  merry,  for  tomorrow  we  die,"  was  a  maxim 
almost  universally  practised  by  the  world  at  the  dawn  of 
Christianity.  In  this  Church  these  truths  shall  be  preached, 
in  season  and  out  of  season,  and  with  no  uncertain  note. 

May  I  say  it  too,  not  a  part,  but  the  whole  decalogue 
shall  be  taught  in  this  church.  Some  who  call  themselves 
ministers  divide  the  decalogue  and  pick  out  certain  com- 
mandments, whose  keeping  they  insist  upon — but  as  for 
the  rest, — they  are  the  same  to  them  and  their  congregation 
as  if  they  did  not  exist.  God  gave  us  the  ten  command- 
ments; each  being  a  law  of  God,  is  as  important  and  as 
binding  as  the  other;  and  if  we  wish  to  be  saved  we  must 
keep  the  whole  decalogue.  To  hear  some  men  preach  we 
should  be  led  to  conclude  that  there  are  only  two  com- 
mandments; namely,  "thou  shalt  not  drink  to  excess,  and 
thou  shalt  not  absent  thyself  from  Church  on  the  Sabbath." 
No;  there  are  ten  commandments,  and  each  one  of  these 
contains  several  positive  and  several  negative  precepts.  We 
must  preach  them  all,  and  we  must  keep  them  all,  if  we 
wish  to  be  saved. 

In  this  Church  shall  be  performed  every  day  that  great 
Act  of  Worship,  pointed  out  by  the  prophet  Malachias,  when, 
seer-like,  he  spoke:  "For,  from  the  rising  of  the  sun,  even 
to  the  going  down,  my  name  is  great  among  the  Gentiles, 
and  in  every  place  there  is  a  sacrifice,  and  there  is  offered 
to  my  name  a  clean  oblation;  for  My  name  is  great  among 
the  Gentiles  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  A  sacrifice  is  the 
highest  form  of  worship.  Yea,  without  a  sacrifice  there 
cannot  be  worship  in  the  true  and  highest  sense  of  the  word. 
And  here  will  be  offered  up  every  day  the  Sacrifice  of  the 
Cross  in  an  unbloody  manner;  first,  to  give  God  infinite  ador- 
ation; secondly,  to  give  Him  infinite  thanksgiving;  thirdly, 
to  apply  to  individual  souls  the  merits  of  Calvary's  cross; 
and  fourthly,  to  intercede  with  God  to  bestow  upon  men 
new  favors  and  graces. 

From  this  point  of  view  alone  what  great  benefits  will 
society  at  large  and  the  City  of  Portsmouth  in  particular, 
derive  from  this  Church  when  completed? 

In  this  Church  shall  be  administered  the  seven  sacra- 


318  WHAT  THE  CHURCH  STANDS  FOR 

ments.  The  Lord  instituted  not  one  or  two,  but  seven 
sacraments;  and  they  are  the  channels  or  aqueducts  lead- 
ing from  Calvary's  cross  and  conveying  those  merits  to 
individual  souls.  Just  as  His  doctrines  are  for  the  dark- 
ened intellect  of  man,  so  also  are  the  sacraments  for  the 
weakened  will  of  man.  May  I  point  out  in  particular  two 
sacraments  that  will  be  administered  in  this  Church,  and 
from  which  society  will  derive  the  greatest  remedy  for  that 
sin  which  is  eating  as  a  cancer,  into  the  very  heart  of  the 
nation  and  undermining  it — I  mean  the  sin  of  impurity! 
The  sacraments  of  Penance  and  Holy  Eucharist  are  those 
sacraments.  They  are  the  panacea  not  only  for  impurity, 
but  for  all  sins  of  the  flesh. 

In  conclusion  I  wish  to  say  that  in  this  Church  the 
dignity  of  matrimony  will  be  upheld.  The  doctrine  of  one 
man  for  one  woman  joined  in  wedlock  is  at  the  basis  of 
civil  society.  When  you  strike  at  this  doctrine  you  strike 
at  the  foundation  of  the  state.  You  introduce  into  the 
home  disorder,  confusion  and  chaos.  And  the  state  is  but 
the  development  of  the  home;  the  state  is  the  home  on  a 
larger  scale;  and  as  the  home  is,  so  must  the  state  be.  In 
this  Church,  too,  will  be  taught  and  upheld  at  all  times, 
that  it  is  unlawful  and  murder,  to  kill  not  only  those  in- 
fants who  have  been  born  into  this  world,  but  also  those 
infants  who  have  not  yet  seen  the  light  of  day.  The  Cath- 
olic Church  says  that  abortion  is  murder — more  dreadful, 
more  heinous  it  is  to  crush  out  the  brains  of  the  unborn 
infant  in  the  mother's  womb  than  to  strangle  the  babe  nest- 
ling on  its  mother's  breast.  In  the  case  of  the  babe  you 
deprive  it  of  temporal  life  alone,  but  in  the  case  of  the 
unborn  infant,  you  deprive  it  not  only  of  temporal  life,  but 
also  of  eternal  life. 

Take  the  Catholic  Church  out  of  the  world  and  civil 
society  will  totter  and  fall  and  crumble.  The  Catholic 
Church  is  necessary  not  only  for  the  next  world,  but  for 
this  world  also.  She  alone  carries  the  right  solution  of  the 
great  questions  of  both  eternity  and  time.  Every  Catholic 
Church  that  is  erected  is  another  prop  which  shall  uphold 
civil  society  until  it  has  fulfilled  its  mission  in  the  designs 
of  God,  and  man  has  run  his  race  on  earth,  and  the  new 
heavenly  Jerusalem  has  replaced  this  old  world  of  ours. 


PURGATORY. 

SERMON  DELIVERED  DURING  MISSION  TO  NON-CATHOLICS,  AT 
MONTGOMERY,  W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren  and  Christian  Friends: — Purgatory 
is  one  of  the  most  reasonable  and  consoling  doctrines  in  the 
whole  deposit  of  Christian  revelation;  and  yet  it  is  the 
subject  of  the  fiercest  attacks  of  our  non-Catholic  brethren. 
I  can  understand  this  seemingly  strange  phenomenon  only 
on  the  supposition  that  our  non-Catholic  brethren  have  never 
heard  the  doctrine  rightly  expounded,  and  our  reasons  for  a 
belief  in  it ;  that  they  take  it  for  something  other  than  what 
it  is ;  and  that  it  is  the  calumnies  and  misrepresentations  they 
rail  against.  I  will  not  believe  that  the  candid  Protestant 
mind  can  reject  such  a  reasonable  and  consoling  doctrine. 
Allow  me  to  present  to  your  consideration  the  doctrine  of 
Purgatory,  as  taught  by  the  Catholic  Church,  and  our  reasons 
for  a  belief  in  it. 

Purgatory,  according  to  the  teaching  of  the  Catholic 
Church,  is  a  middle  place  or  state  where  some  just  souls 
are  detained  to  suffer  for  a  while  before  their  entrance  into 
Heaven ;  either  because  they  have  not  sufficiently  satisfied 
for  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  their  sins,  or  because 
they  have  not  atoned  for  their  slight  faults,  or  because  there 
are  still  some  small  stains  or  blemishes  on  their  souls. 

From  Apostolic  times  down  to  the  present  day,  the 
Catholic  Church  has  taught  this  doctrine.  And  Arius,  the 
great  heresiarch  of  the  Fourth  Century  was  the  first  one 
to  say  anything  derogatory  of  it.  He  is  reported  by  St. 
Augustine  to  have  said:  "That  there  was  no  reason  why 
prayers  should  be  said  or  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass 
offered  up  for  the  dead."  No  other  attack  was  made  on 
the  doctrine  until  the  Twelfth  Century,  when  the  Albigen- 
ses  and  Waldenses,  fanatics  who  overran  the  southern  part 
of  France,  in  their  wholesale  rejection  of  Catholic  doctrine, 
included  that  of  Purgatory.  Next  came  the  Hussites  of  the 
Fourteenth  Century;  then  Martin  Luther  and  John  Calvin 
of  the  Sixteenth. 

319 


320      .  SERMON  ON  PURGATORY 

Today  there  are  some  Protestants  who  believe  in  a 
middle  place  where  souls  are  detained.  They,  however,  re- 
ject the  name  of  Purgatory,  and  believe,  in  contradistinction 
to  Catholics,  that  souls  there  can  merit  for  themselves. 
This  we  learn  from  Farrar,  Campbell  and  Hodge,  eminent 
protestant  writers  and  divines. 

My  dear  friends,  the  Catholic  doctrine  of  Purgatory  is 
founded  upon  scripture,  confirmed  by  tradition,  is  conso- 
nant to  reason  and  most  consoling  to  human  nature.  In  the 
Old  Testament,  from  the  Second  Book  of  Machabees,  we 
learn  that  Judas  Maccabeus,  that  intrepid  and  fearless 
warrior  who  vindicated  and  restored  the  laws  of  his  ances- 
tors— we  learn  that  after  having  gained  divers  victories  in 
battle  over  the  enemies  of  his  country,  sent  money  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  have  sacrifices  offered  up  for  those  who  had 
fallen  in  the  fight:  "And  making  a  gathering,  he  sent 
twelve  thousand  drachmas  of  silver  to  Jerusalem  for  sac- 
rifices to  be  offered  up  for  the  sins  of  the  dead,  thinking  well 
and  religiously  of  their  resurrection.  (For  if  he  had  not 
hoped  that  they  that  were  slain  should  rise  again,  it  would 
seem  superfluous  and  vain  to  pray  for  the  dead.)  And  be- 
cause he  considered  that  those  who  had  fallen  asleep  with 
godliness  had  great  grace  laid  up  for  them.  It  is  therefore 
a  holy  and  wholesome  thought  to  pray  for  the  dead  that 
they  may  be  loosed  from  their  sins."  (II  Machabees,  XII, 
43-46.)' 

The  texts  need  scarcely  a  comment.  We  see  from  them 
that  the  Jews  and  the  sacred  writer  belie'ved  that  the  dead 
could  be  helped  by  prayers  and  sacrifices.  It  is  a  question 
of  those  who  have  fallen  asleep  in  godliness.  They  are  not 
in  Hell ;  neither  are  they  in  Heaven ;  they  are  therefore 
detained  in  a  middle  state.  But  my  Protestant  brother 
will  reply:  "I  do  not  admit  the  inspiration  of  that  book"; 
that  does  not  destroy  the  force  of  the  argument;  for  you 
admit  its  historical  value;  and  hence  it  still  remains  true 
that  the  Jews  offered  up  prayers  and  sacrifices  for  the 
dead  to  have  them  loosed  from  their  sins. 

And  when  Christ  came — bear  this  in  mind — when 
Christ  came,  we  find  Him  lopping  off  foreign  growths  from 
the  body  of  Jewish  ecclesiastical  law,  and  purifying  the 


SERMON  ON  PURGATORY  321 

Jewish  Church  from  human  traditions  that  had  entwined 
themselves  around  it.  But  he  does  not  chide  the  Jews  for 
their  belief  in  a  middle  state,  (and  who  shall  say  that  He 
was  not  aware  of  such  a  belief)  but  on  the  contrary,  as 
we  learn  from  the  mouth  of  the  inspired  Matthew  He 
confirmed  such  a  belief  when  he  said:  "And  whosoever 
shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  Man  it  shall  be  for- 
given him;  but  he  that  shall  speak  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  in 
the  world  to  come."  (Matthew  XII,  32.)  In  other  words 
Christ  here  teaches  that  there  are  some  sins  forgiven  in 
the  next  world. 

St.  Paul,  the  doctor  and  the  teacher  of  the  Gentiles,  in 
his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  thus  wrote:  "Every  man's 
work  shall  be  made  manifest;  for  the  day  of  the  Lord  shall 
declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  in  fire;  and  the  fire 
shall  try  every  man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is.  If  any  man's 
work  abide,  which  he  has  built  thereupon  he  shall  receive  a 
reward.  If  any  man's  work  burn,  he  shall  suffer  loss ;  but  he 
himself  shall  be  saved;  yet  so  as  by  fire."  (I  Cor.  13-15.) 
We  admit  that  the  first  part  of  the  text  is  a  little  obscure. 
"The  Fathers"  understand  it  as  referring  to  imperfect 
works.  They  are  unanimous,  however,  in  understanding 
the  whole  text  as  referring  to  Purgatory.  The  last  part 
must  refer  to  a  middle  state — "But  he  himself  shall  be 
saved,  yet  so  as  by  fire."  Crosses  and  afflictions,  instead  of 
working  unto  salvation,  oftentimes  work  unto  perdition  as 
experience  teaches.  Hence  the  fire  cannot  mean  crosses  and 
afflictions;  it  must  therefore  refer  to  the  flames  of  Purga- 
tory, since  of  these  two  means  one  must  be  accepted,  else 
the  words  are  idle  verbiage. 

We  come  now  to  "The  Fathers'';  and  allow  me  to  re- 
mark that  their  testimony  is  so  clear  and  strong,  that  he 
who  believes  that  the  Church  was  pure  and  incorrupt  dur- 
ing the  first  five  centuries,  must,  after  he  has  listened  to 
"the  Fathers",  accept  the  doctrine  as  a  part  of  Christian 
revelation.  And  their  writings,  too,  upon  this  subject  are 
filled  with  so  much  unction  that  it  does  one's  soul  good  to 
read  them;  they  are  sermonets  in  themselves. 


322  SERMON  ON  PURGATORY 

The  first  whom  I  shall  quote  is  Tertullian,  of  the 
Second  Century,  the  first  writer  of  the  Latin  Church,  a 
man  of  strong,  penetrating  intellect,  and  great  learning,  the 
one  who  wrote  one  of  the  best  defences  of  the  Christians 
against  their  Pagan  adversaries. 

Listen  to  him!  "Tell  me,  sister,  hast  thou  dismissed 
before^  thee  thy  husband  in  peace?  Then,  in  that  peace 
must  she  need  continue  with  him  whom  she  has  no  power 
to  divorce,  neither  would  she  have  married  had  divorce  been 
in  her  power.  Wherefore,  also,  does  she  pray  for  his  soul 
and  begs  for  him  in  the  interim  refreshment,  and  in  the 
first  resurrection  companionship,  and  offers  sacrifice  on  the 
anniversary  day  of  his  fatting  asleep." 

Next  in  order  is  the  eloquent  and  the  influential 
Cyprian,  Bishop  of  Carthage  in  the  Third  Century.  Speak- 
ing of  some  of  the  relatives  of  the  Celerinus  who  had  suf- 
fered martyrdom,  he  says:  "We  always,  as  you  remember, 
offer  sacrifices  for  them  as  often  as  we  celebrate  the  death 
and  sufferings  of  the  martyrs  on  the  anniversary  commem- 
oration." 

Thirdly,  comes  Eusebius  of  the  Fourth  Century,  styled 
the  "Father  of  Ecclesiastical  History,"  and  one  of  the  most 
learned  prelates  of  his  age.  In  describing  the  funeral  of 
Constantine,  he  says  that  the  multitude  and  ministers  with 
tears  and  lamentations  offered  prayers  to  God  for  the  soul 
of  the  Emperor;  "When  his  son  (Constantius)  had  departed 
with  the  guard  of  soldiers,  the  ministers  of  God  with  the 
crowd,  and  the  whole  multitude  of  the  faithful  advanced 
into  the  midst,  and  with  prayers  performed  what  pertains 
to  divine  worship.  And  the  blessed  prince  reposing  on 
high,  on  a  lofty  structure,  was  extolled  with  many  praises; 
and  the  whole  multitude  in  concert  with  those  ministers 
of  God,  not  without  tears  and  much  lamentation,  offered 
prayers  to  God  for  the  soul  of  the  Emperor." 

In  the  Fourth  Century  we  have  also  St.  Cyril,  of  Jeru- 
salem, the  companion  of  the  great  Athanasius;  St.  Ephrem, 
the  most  prolific  and  elegant  of  the  Syrian  writers,  styled 
by  his  countrymen,  "Prophet  of  the  Syrians",  and  "The 
Harp  of  the  Holy  Ghost";  St.  Ambrose,  one  of  the  four 
great  doctors  of  the  Latin  Church,  to  whom  is  ascribed 


SERMON  ON  PURGATORY  323 

the  conversion  of  St.  Augustine;  St.  Jerome,  the  greatest 
doctor  of  the  Latin  Church,  and  called  by  the  Church  her- 
self, the  greatest  doctor  raised  up  by  the  divine  hand  to 
interpret  the  Sacred  Scriptures;  and  finally  St.  John,  of 
Constantinople,  called  "Chrysostom"  or  "  Golden  Mouthed", 
on  account  of  his  sanctity  and  incomparable  eloquence. 
These  five  great  lights  of  the  Fourth  Century  likewise  tes- 
tify to  the  belief  of  the  Church  in  the  doctrine  of  Purgatory. 
But  I  shall  confine  myself  to  quoting  explicitly  from  only 
two  of  them.  Ambrose  and  Jerome. 

St.  Ambrose,  referring  to  the  death  of  the  Emperors 
Gratian  and  Valentinian,  said  that  both  would  be  blest  if 
his  prayers  could  avail  anything;  "Blest  shall  both  of 
you  be,  if  my  prayers  can  avail  anything;  no  one  day  shall 
pass  over  you  in  silence;  no  prayer  of  mine  shall  omit  to 
honor  you;  no  one  night  shall  hurry  ~by  ivithout  bestioiving 
upon  you  a  mention  in  my  prayers." 

St.  Jerome  consoling  Pammachius,  writes:  "Other 
husbands  strew  violets  and  roses  on  the  graves  of  their 
wives  and  soothe  with  these  offices  the  sorrow  of  their 
hearts ;  our  Pammachius  bedews  the  hallowed  dust  and  the 
venerable  remains  of  Paulina  with  balsams  of  alms.  With 
these  pigments  and  sweet  odors  does  he  refresh  her  slumber- 
ing ashes,  knowing  that  it  is  written,  that  as  water  quenches 
fire  so  do  alms  extinguish  sin." 

Lastly,  hear  what  St.  Augustine  of  the  Fifth  Century 
has  to  say,  that  Sampson  in  intellect,  who  not  without 
reason,  is  placed  side  by  side  with  Aristotle  and  St.  Thomas 
of  Aquin — those  masterpieces  of  intellectual  creation,  nar- 
rating and  commenting  on  the  last  words  of  his  dying 
mother,  St.  Monica,  who  thus  addressed  him:  "Lay  this 
body  anywhere;  let  not  the  care  of  it  in  any  way  disturb 
you;  this  only  I  would  request  of  you  that  you  would  re- 
member me  at  the  altar  of  the  Lord  wherever  you  be."  St. 
Augustine  continues;  "I,  therefore,  O  my  praise  and  my 
life,  God  of  my  heart,  having  laid  aside  for  a  while  her 
good  actions  for  which  I  give  thanks  to  Thee  with  joy,  do 
now  beseech  Thee  for  the  sins  of  my  mother,  hear  me 
through  the  medicine  of  our  wounds  who  hung  upon  the 
wood,  and,  who  sitting  at  Thy  right  hand  maketh  interces- 


324  SERMON  ON  PURGATORY 

sion  to  Thee  for  u»  .  *  *  *  May  she  then  be  in  peace 
with  her  husband  before  whom  to  none  and  after  whom  to 
none  was  she  married.  And  inspire,  my  Lord,  my  God, 
inspire  Thy  servants,  my  brethren,  Thy  sons,  my  masters, 
whom  with  voice,  and  heart,  and  pen  I  serve,  that  as  many 
as  shall  read  these  words  may  remember  at  Thy  altar 
Monica,  thy  servant,  with  Patricius,  her  sometime  husband, 
by  whose  flesh  Thou  didst  introduce  me  into  this  life,  how, 
I  know  not." 

My  dear  friends,  from  the  third  chapter  of  the  Book  of 
Genesis,  and  the  fifth  chapter  of  St.  Paul's  first  Epistle  to 
the  Romans  we  learn  that  God  imposes  upon  sin  a  temporal 
punishment  which  has  to  be  undergone  even  after  the  eter- 
nal guilt  has  been  remitted.  In  reading  the  third  chapter 
.  of  Genesis  we  learn  that  our  first  parents  had  sinned,  and 
the  Lord  had  remitted  the  guilt;  but  even  after  that,  had 
imposed  upon  them  a  train  of  temporal  evils — "In  sorrow 
shalt  thou  bring  forth  children,"  said  He  to  Eve;  and  to 
Adam:  "In  the  sweat  of  thy  face,  shalt  thou  eat  bread." 
And  St.  Paul  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  his  first  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  refers  to  the  doctrine  laid  down  in  Genesis,,  and 
tells  us  that  death  came  into  the  world  by  sin,  and  since 
all  have  sinned  in  Adam,  so  must  all  die.  In  fact,  reason 
demands  that  a  temporal  punishment  should  be  imposed 
upon  sin  in  order  to  deter  man  from  sin  in  the  future. 

Now,  we  know  from  experience  that  there  are  many 
great  sinners  who  escape  the  temporal  punishment  in  this 
world,  and  die  in  the  end  repentant  deaths.  But  the  justice 
of  God  demands  that  this  temporal  punishment  must  be 
undergone  somewhere — "Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  thou  shalt 
by  no  means  come  out  thence,  until  thou  hast  paid  the 
uttermost  farthing."  These  are  Christ's  own  words.  There- 
fore, there  must  be  a  middle  place  of  suffering  in  the  next 
world,  where  such  souls  can  undergo  their  temporal 
punishment. 

My  dear  friends,  we  must  all  admit  that  there  are 
slight  faults  and  minor  sins  that  do  not  deserve  eternal 
death.  Surely  an  all-merciful  and  all-just  God  is  not  going 
to  send  us  to  Hell  with  murderers,  thieves,  blasphemers 
and  adulterers  for  being  a  little  unkind,  a  little  impatient, 


SERMON  ON  PURGATORY  325 

a  little  vain — for  being  attached  to  some  little  faults.  In 
fact,  God,  through  the  inspired  writer  of  the  Book  of 
Proverbs,  tells  us  that  the  just  man  falleth  seven  times  a 
day  and  riseth  up  again;  "For  a  just  man  shall  fall  seven 
times  and  shall  rise  up  again;  but  the  wicked  shall  fall 
down  into  evil."  Now  a  just  man  is  one  who  is  pleasing 
to  God  and  consequently  not  worthy  of  eternal  death. 
(Proverbs  XXIV;  16.) 

Moreover,  both  reason  and  revelation  teach  us  that 
nothing  defiled  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  Heaven. 
Reason  tells  us  that  God  is  an  infinitely  pure  Being — that 
He  is  all  immaculate.  In  fact.  He  is  purity  and  spotlessness 
itself.  He  is  the  source  and  exemplar  of  all  purity  and 
holiness.  Habacuc,  the  prophet,  tells  us  that  God  cannot 
behold  evil,  or  look  on  iniquity:  k'Thy  eyes  are  too  pure 
to  behold  evil  and  canst  not  look  on  iniquity."  (Habacuc 
I,  13.)  St.  John  in  the  Book  of  Revelations  tells  us  that 
nothing  defiled,  or  that  worketh  iniquity,  or  maketh  a  lie, 
can  enter  into  the  new  Jerusalem  :  "And  there  shall  not  enter 
into  it  anything  defiled,  or  that  worketh  abomination,  or 
maketh  a  lie,  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  book  of  the 
life  of  the  Lamb."  (Apo'c.  XXI;  27.) 

Where  then,  does  this  countless  number  of  souls  go? 
They  cannot  be  admitted  immediately  into  and  dwell  for- 
ever in  the  presence  of  the  all-pure  and  immaculate  God. 
But  they  are  still  His  Friends;  there  abides  within  them 
the  love  of  God — charity.  Where  do  they  go?  Not  to  Hell 
either.  It  would  be  against  the  justice  and  mercy  of  God. 
They  must  therefore  go  to  a  middle  place,  which  we  call 
Purgatory,  to  make  satisfaction,  and  to  be  purged  and 
purified. 

Before  showing  you  what  a  consoling  doctrine  Purga- 
tory is,  I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  about  the  nature  of  its 
punishment  and  its  duration. 

It  is  true,  my  dear  friends,  that  the  Church  has  not 
defined  anything  concerning  Purgatory  other  than  it  exists, 
that  it  is  a  place  of  suffering,  that  the  souls  there  can  be 
helped  by  the  prayers  of  the  living,  and  by  the  Sacrifice 
of  the  Mass,  and  that  they  are  certain  of  salvation.  But 


326  SERMON  ON  PURGATORY 

theologians  have  written  upon  those  subjects,  and  from 
them  we  can  learn  the  common  belief  of  the  Church.  Now 
as  regards  the  nature  of  the  punishment,  St.  Thomas 
Aquin,  the  prince  of  dogmatic  theologians,  teaches  that  the 
pain  is  two-fold ;  namely,  a  pain  of  loss,  and  a  pain  of  sense. 
The  pain  of  loss  consists  in  the  soul's  being  separated  for 
a  time  from  God,  whom  it  longs  to  possess.  The  pain  of 
sense  consists  in  the  soul's  being  afflicted  in  some  way  by 
fire.  This  teaching  is  confirmed  by  St.  Alphonsus  Liguori, 
the  prince  of  moral  theologians,  who  teaches  that  the  prin- 
cipal and  greatest  punishment  is  in  the  soul,  and  consists 
in  its  being  separated  from  God,  its  spouse,  towards  whom 
it  is  borne  with  all  the  powers  of  its  being. 

As  regards  the  duration  of  Purgatory,  it  is  certain  that 
it  will  not  last  after  the  Day  of  Judgment.  How  long  souls 
will  be  detained  there  we  do  not  know.  But  we  know  that 
some  will  be  detained  much  longer  than  others,  and  that 
the  opinion  advanced  by  Soto  that  no  soul  will  remain 
longer  than  ten  years,  is  untenable.  St.  Alphonsus  Liguori 
thinks  that  the  opinion  which  holds  that  some  great  sinners 
will  not  be  released  from  Purgatory  before  the  Day  of  Judg- 
ment, is  probable. 

And  now,  my  dear  friends,  a  few  more  words  and  we 
have  done. 

The  doctrine  of  Purgatory  softens  and  mitigates  the 
doctrine  of  hell.  Remember,  according  to  the  teaching  of 
the  Catholic  Church,  it  is  only  a  mortal  sin  that  kills  the 
soul,  deprives  it  of  supernatural  life,  and  sends  it  to  Hell. 
Now  for  a  sin  to  be  mortal,  three  things  are  absolutely 
necessary;  first,  there  must  be  a  serious,  grievous  matter: 
secondly,  there  must  be  sufficient  reflection;  thirdly,  there 
must  be  full  consent  of  the  will.  If  any  one  of  the  three 
conditions  is  wanting,  the  sin  is  not  mortal,  and  does  not 
kill  the  soul.  You  see,  then,  that  a  Christian  must  be  wicked 
indeed,  to  commit  a  mortal  sin ;  and  sometimes  I  am  in- 
clined to  believe  that  mortal  sins  are  not  as  prevalent 
as  some  would  have  us  think.  Without  the  doctrine  of 
Purgatory  you  must  condemn  such  Christians  to  Hell,  for 
they  cannot  go  to  Heaven,  because  they  are  sinners.  Were 
it  not  for  the  name  Purgatory — which  savors  so  much  of 


SERMON  ON  PURGATORY  327 

catholicity, — many  would  believe  in  it,  yea,  many  do  believe 
in  it,  secretly,  down  in  the  bottom  of  their  hearts. 

How  consoling  is  the  doctrine  of  Purgatory!  We  feel 
that  if  we  died  this  moment,  although  not  aware  of  any 
serious  deliberate  faults,  we  are  not  perfect  or  pure  enough 
to  become  the  companions  of  angels  and  saints.  God  forbid 
that  we  who  have  struggled  to  do  the  will  of  our  heavenly 
Father,  who  have  tried  to  worship  and  to  serve  Him,  have 
kept  the  faith  and  died  in  it — God  forbid,  that  we  should  be 
sent  to  the  prison  of  eternal  darkness.  With  the  doctrine 
of  Purgatory,  all  will  be  well.  We  shall  be  first  purged  and 
purified  by  the  flames  of  Purgatory,  before  being  admitted 
into  the  realms  of  light.  How  consoling  the  thought  that 
we  can  follow  our  dear  friends  into  the  next  world !  Those 
who  have  been  sealed  with  Christ,  and  have  not  the  marks 
of  perdition  on  them.  How  consoling  the  thought!  How 
it  pours  balm  into  the  wounds  of  affliction  and  soothes  the 
aching  heart,  to  think  that  we  can  still  follow  our  dear  ones 
by  our  prayers,  into  the  next  world  and  assist  them !  Does  it 
not,  I  ask  you,  rob  death  of  many  of  its  stings?  Remember, 
the  God  who  fashioned  and  moulded  our  hearts  is  the  God 
also  of  the  living  and  the  dead.  Picture  to  yourselves  two 
wives  standing  over  the  graves  of  their  departed  husbands, 
husbands  who  were  faithful,  loyal  and  true,  but  nevertheless 
had  faults — husbands  who  were  stricken  down  suddenly — 
picture  to  yourself  the  two,  and  behold  the  countenance 
of  each;  both  are  shedding  tears,  sorrow  is  written  upon 
their  faces ,  but  upon  one  we  see  commingled  with  sorrow, 
the  dark  marks  of  despair,  and  upon  the  other,  the  bright 
marks  of  hope.  The  former  who  believes  not  in  a  middle 
state,  bows  her  head,  is  choked  with  grief,  and  utters  not  a 
word;  but  the  latter  who  is  a  Catholic,  raises  her  eyes  and 
hands  to  heaven  and  says:  "O  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  his 
soul  and  grant  him  eternal  rest!"  And  she  leaves  in  peace, 
while  the  other  comes  awav  almost  disconsolate! 


INDEFECTIBILITY   OF   THE   CHURCH. 

H    ' 

PREACHED  AT  ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH,  HUNTINGTON/ W.  VA. 

My  Dear  Brethren: — Our  Divine  Lord,  after  having 
spent  the  day  in  preaching,  healing  the  sick,  and  casting 
out  evil  spirits,  when  evening  came  on,  was  somewhat  tired 
and  fatigued,  and  desired  a  little  rest.  But  as  long  as  He 
remained  within  the  walls  of  Capharnaum,  followed  and 
surrounded  by  the  multitude  as  He  was,  there  was  little 
hope  of  rest.  So  He  said  to  His  Apostles :  "Let  us  pass  over 
to  the  other  side",  meaning  the  mountainous  country  of 
Perea. 

The  Sea  of  Galilee,  is  not  as  some  perhaps  imagine, 
an  immense  body  of  water.  No;  it  is  very  small.  This 
historical  lake,  so  dear  to  the  hearts  of  all  Christians,  is 
only  about  fourteen  miles  long,  and  nine  wide;  and  hence 
could  very  easily  be  crossed  at  eventide.  For  the  purpose 
then,  of  getting  away  from  the  multitude  for  a  few  hours, 
Christ  said:  "Let  us  pass  over  to  the  other  side". 

No  doubt  there  were  several  small  boats  on  the  shore, 
and  into  one  of  these  Christ  got,  followed  by  His  disciples. 
He  made  no  preparation  for  the  little  journey;  He  climbed 
into  the  boat  just  as  He  was ;  and,  arnid  the  rustling  of  the 
winds  and  under  the  beautiful,  starlit  heavens  of  Palestine, 
the  boat  glided  out  headed  for  the  opposite  shore. 

Christ  seated  Himself  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  and  being 
tired,  rested  His  head  on  the  pilot's  pillow.  Soon  He  was 
fast  asleep.  But  what  happens?  Suddenly  a  fierce  gale 
blows  up.  It  comes  down  from  the  icy  peaks  of  Mount 
Hermon,  and  whips  the  waters  into  the  wildest  fury.  The 
boat  becomes  unmanageable.  It  is  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  is 
driven  mercilessly  by  the  seething  waves.  But  all  the  while 
Christ  sleeps  soundly,  apparently  unconscious  of  the  im- 
minent danger.  The  waves  beat  into  the  boat  and  it  begins 
to  sink.  At  this  moment  the  Apostles  awake  Christ,  crying: 
"Lord,  Master,  save  us,  we  perish"? 
328 


INDEFECTIBILITY  OP  THE  CHURCH  329 

Conscious  of  His  divine  power,  in  contrast  to  the 
Apostles,  and  unlike  us,  Christ  slowly  and  deliberately, 
with  no  haste  or  impetuosity,  awakes  and  arises.  He  does 
not  instantly  calm  the  storm,  but  first  rebukes  the  disciples 
for  their  want  of  faith :  "Why  are  ye  fearful,  O  ye  of  little 
faith".  Then  it  was,  He  calmed  the  storm  and  sea,  com- 
manding the  winds  to  cease,  and  the  sea  to  become  placid. 

A  great  calm  ensues.  The  stormy  clouds  have  rolled 
by,  and  the  white,  blue  heavens  appear,  and  the  sea  is  smooth 
and  peaceful.  The  Apostles  now  realize  how  little  faith 
they  had,  and  what  a  just  cause  there  was  for  the  Master's 
complaint.  Their  amazement  and  awe  can  be  judged  by 
the  action  of  the  sailors,  who  cried  out:  "What  manner  of 
man  is  this,  for  the  winds  and  the  sea  obey  Him?" 

My  Brethren,  this  gospel  besides  teaching  us  to  have 
great  confidence  in  God,  never  distrusting  His  power  and 
mercy,  knowing  that  the  Lord's  arms  are  not  shortened, 
and  that  He  will  come  to  the  assistance  of  His  servants 
when  and  how  it  is  best,  has  within  it  a  great  dogmatic 
truth  symbolized;  which  I  wish  to  bring  to  your  attention 
and  impress  upon  you  this  morning. 

The  whole  gospel,  in  a  mystical  sense,  represents  God's 
Church  through  every  phase  of  her  career.  St.  John 
Chrysostom,  who  above  all  other  "Fathers",  is  noted  for  his 
literal  interpretation  of  the  Gospels,  sees  in  the  Sea  of 
Galilee,  on  this  occasion,  the  world;  in  the  wind  and  storm, 
the  attacks  and  assaults  of  evil  spirits  and  wicked  men  on 
the  Church;  in  the  sleep  of  Christ,  while  the  gale  is  raging, 
the  persecutions  and  trials  which  Christ  permits  to  assail 
the  Church;  in  the  cry  of  the  disciples,  the  fervent  prayers 
of  the  children  of  the  Church  for  Christ  to  put  down  her 
enemies;  and  in  the  awakening  of  Christ,  and  His  calming 
the  storm  and  sea,  the  divine  invisible,  omnipotent  power 
of  God,  coming  to  the  assistance  of  the  Church,  in  His  own 
good  time,  after  having  first  tested  the  faith  of  His  children, 
arising  up  and  scattering  all  the  enemies  of  the  Church, 
humbling  them  to  the  ground,  showing  how  little  human 
malice  and  human  strength  can  prevail  against  His  Church, 
against  the  infallible  promises  of  Christ,  our  Lord  and  God. 


330  INDEFECTIBILITY  OP  THE  CHURCH 

/ 

My  Brethren,  the  Catholic  Church  has  been  in  the  world 
for  nineteen  hundred  years.  She  was  present  at  the  birth 
and  death  of  the  various  empires  and  kingdoms,  which 
have  existed  and  flourished  during  this  long  period  of  time. 
She  was  the  object  of  the  Ten  Persecutions,  beginning  with 
Nero  in  the  year  65,  and  ending  with  Diocletian  about  314. 
She  was  ancient,  when  Constantine  ascended  the  throne. 
She  saw  the  downfall  of  the  Roman  Empire,  and  the  founda- 
tions of  the  modern  states  of  Europe,  laid.  She  saw  the 
Anglo-Saxons  under  Hengist  make  their  first  permanent 
settlement  in  England.  She  saw  the  Visi-goths  under 
Alaric  found  their  kingdom  in  Spain.  She  saw  Clovis  lay 
the  foundation  of  the  French  Monarchy  in  France.  She 
saw  Theodoret  enter  Italy,  defeat  Odoacer,  and  establish  a 
vast  empire.  She  saw  the  rise  of  Mohammedanism.  She 
saw  Pepin  crowned  king  of  France.  She  saw  the  revival 
of  the  Western  Empire  under  Charlemagne.  She  instituted 
the  Crusades.  To  spread  her  doctrines,  was  one  of  the 
principal  motives  that  urged  Columbus  to  sail  the  unknown 
seas,  and  which  voyage  ended  in  the  discovery  of  America. 
She  was  present  at  the  birth  of  our  Republic.  For  nineteen 
hundred  years  she  has  been  everywhere.  Her  children,  by 
the  millions,  have  been  found  in  every  country  and  clime, 
among  all  races  and  people.  And  during  these  nineteen 
hundred  years  she  has  been  the  object  of  constant  attack. 
Never  has  the  Church — at  least  some  part  of  her — been  free 
from  persecution.  It  began  with  the  fanatical  Pharisees 
and  Sadducees.  Then  came  the  Ten  Persecutions,  which 
drove  the  Church  into  the  Catacombs.  Then  Pagan  writers 
attacked  her.  Then  Arius  arose,  whose  heresy  threatened 
to  engulf  the  Church.  After  him  came  the  great  Here- 
siarchs,  Nestorius  and  Eutyches.  Mohammet  persecutes 
her.  Christian  kings  and  princes  persecute  her.  The  so- 
called  Reformers  of  the  XVI  Century  now  appear,  and 
persecute  her.  Their  heresies  spread.  Part  of  Germany  gives 
up  the  faith  and  persecutes.  England  gives  up  the  faith 
and  persecutes.  Across  the  seas  the  Puritans  come  and 
persecute.  The  French  Revolutionists  persecute.  Bona- 
parte persecutes  the  Church.  Bismark  persecutes  the 
Church.  Victor  Emmanuel  persecutes  the  Church.  To-day 


INDEFECTIBILITY  OF  THE  CHURCH  331 

the  Church  in  Europe  and  South  America  is  being  perse- 
cuted by  the  various  Infidel  Governments. 

My  Brethren,  notwithstanding  all  this,  the  Church  has 
existed  and  flourished.  What  she  loses  in  one  country,  she 
more  than  gains  in  another.  Or,  we  may  say,  she  is  both 
losing  and  gaining  at  the  same  time.  She  comes  out  of 
every  persecution  purified,  younger,  more  vigorous  and 
crowned  with  a  new  victory.  Just  when  things  look  most 
threatening,  when  timid  hearts  grow  fearful,  wh,en  her 
children  cry  out:  "Lord,  save  us,  we  perish,"  and  her  ene- 
mies begin  to  sing  paeans  of  victory,  Christ,  as  of  yore  on 
the  waters  of  Galilee,  awakes,  rises  up,  manifests  His 
omnipotence,  scatters  her  enemies,  humbles  them  to  the 
dust;  the  clouds  roll  by,  the  blue  heavens  appear,  and  the 
Church  again  rides  serenely  and  majestically,  on  the  sea  of 
life. 

Yes,  my  brethren,  let  us  never  grow  fearful  when  the 
Church  is  persecuted,  but  pray,  work,  and  trust  confidently. 
The  Church  shall  surely  come  out  of  the  conflict  victorious 
and  unscathed,  for  Christ  has  said :  "I  say  to  thee  that  thou 
art  Peter;  and  upon  this  rock  T  will  build  My  Church,  and 
the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it";  "Going 
therefore,  teach  ye  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  T  have 
commanded  you ;  and  behold  T  am  with  you  all  days  even 
to  the  consummation  of  the  world".  The  Catholic  Church 
is  the  representative  of  Christ,  the  continuation,  as  it  were, 
of  the  Incarnation  and  must  exist  everywhere,  continuing 
the  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  until  the  consummation  of  the 
ages,  when  the  Church  militant  on  this  earth,  will  become 
the  Church  triumphant  in  Heaven. 


ST.  JOSEPH'S  CHURCH   AND  SCHOOL.  HUNTINGTON,   WEST  VA. 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

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